H.R. 36
Floor Speech
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Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 36. This bill would ban abortions after 20 weeks without an adequate exception to protect a woman's health--a violation of Roe V. Wade--and would impose unreasonable burdens on rape and incest survivors. The legislation is the latest attack by House Republicans on women's health, and what's even more insulting is that they brought it to the floor during Women's Health Week.
H.R. 36 would deny a woman the right to an abortion even if she is experiencing serious medical complications from pregnancy, or her physician is unable to diagnose her fetus with severe and lethal anomalies until after 20 weeks. These anomalies frequently lead to fetal death before or shortly after birth. Moreover, by imposing criminal penalties on physicians who provide abortion care, the bill would eventually lead to the deterioration of the critical patient-doctor relationship.
As you know, Republicans pulled an earlier version of this after a clash in their caucus over the exception for adult rape survivors which would require women to report the crime to law enforcement before they could get an abortion. That language has been modified to require rape survivors to seek and provide documentation of medical treatment or counseling 48 hours prior to an abortion. The bill also includes unfair reporting and documentation requirements for minors who have survived rape and incest. Without a doubt these barriers are deliberately designed to restrict a women's right to choose.
I'm pleased to see a range of organizations voice strong opposition to this bill including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Nurses Association, American Public Health Association, NARAL Pro-Choice American, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, National Organization for Women, National Women's Law Center, National Council of Jewish Women, and others.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand up for women's health and oppose this bill.
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