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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E639]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NEW FETAL HEARTBEAT ABORTION LAWS
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HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE
of texas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise to express my strong
opposition to the so-called ``fetal heartbeat'' laws recently enacted
in Georgia, Alabama, Missouri, Texas, and other states.
GEORGIA
House Bill 481 outlaws abortion after six weeks of
pregnancy, when a doctor can usually detect a fetus'
heartbeat. Gov. Brian Kemp signed it into law May 7, and it
is set to go into effect Jan. 1--unless it is blocked by the
courts.
MISSOURI
The Missouri House passed H.B. 126 in a 110-to-44 vote
after hours of heated debate, including impassioned speeches
by both Democratic and Republican legislators and angry
shouts of ``when you lie, people die'' from those who opposed
the bill. Those protesters were eventually removed by the
police.
The measure, known as the Missouri Stands for the Unborn
Act, now moves to the desk of Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican,
who is expected to sign it. The bill, which bans abortions at
around eight weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman even
knows she is pregnant, included no exceptions for rape or
incest.
ALABAMA
Gov. Kay Ivey of Alabama on Wednesday signed into law a
bill banning almost all abortions in the state, with no
exceptions for cases of rape or incest. Under the law, which
is scheduled to take effect in six months, an abortion is
only legal if the pregnant person's life is at risk. A doctor
who performs an abortion for any other reason could face up
to 99 years in prison.
TEXAS
The Texas Senate approved a bill Thursday that would impose
criminal penalties on doctors who fail to treat babies born
alive after failed abortion attempts--extremely rare cases--a
month after the House approved the same measure. If the House
concurs with the Senate's minor changes to House Bill 16, it
will then head to the governor's desk.
The Senate approved the bill in a 21-10 vote, with
Democratic state senators Eddie Lucio of Brownsville and
Judith Zaffirini of Laredo bucking their party to support the
measure. The measure, authored by state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-
Plano, gives teeth to existing federal and state laws that
grant legal protections to children born after abortion
attempts. Doctors who ``fail to provide the appropriate
medical treatnent''--like immediately transferring the infant
to a hospital--could be charged with a third-degree felony,
and they would have to pay a fine of at least $100,000.
MISSISSIPPI
Republican Gov. Phil Bryant signed the bill into law in
March which says physicians who perform abortions after a
fetal heartbeat is found (typically at around 6 weeks) could
have their medical licenses revoked. The state allows
abortions after a fetal heartbeat is found if a pregnancy
endangers a woman's life or one of her major bodily functions
but does not have exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
OHIO
Gov. Mike DeWine signed one of the nation's most
restrictive abortion bans into law Thursday afternoon and
opponents have already pledged to take him to court. The
American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio has already promised
to sue over the legislation, which would ban abortions after
a fetal heartbeat is detected and prosecute doctors who
perform them anyway. A fetal heartbeat can be detected as
early as six weeks into a woman's pregnancy, which can be
before a woman finds out she's pregnant. The ``heartbeat
bill'' passed the GOP-controlled Legislature on Wednesday
amid protests from advocates of abortion access. DeWine
signed the bill, making Ohio the sixth state to enact the
ban. Under the bill, doctors would face a fifth-degree felony
punishable by up to a year in prison for performing an
abortion after detecting a heartbeat. The bill has an
exception to save the life of the woman but no exception for
rape or incest--in line with current state law.
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