District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 3803, which would make abortions performed at 20 weeks gestation or later unlawful in the District of Columbia.

Our first priorities in the House of Representatives must be helping to foster job creation and supporting middle class families.

Instead, the Republicans once again have chosen to take up divisive social issues and continue their war on women with a radical assault on women's health care. This time, we are discussing a bill that would be a dangerous intrusion into the lives of women as well as the governance of the District of Columbia.

Once again, the Majority is asking Congress to play doctor. This bill is an attempt to ban safe, legal, and often medically-necessary abortion services for women in the District of Columbia without the consent of the city's residents or representatives. It seems to me to be even unconstitutional.

Even when the Republicans could have received input from District of Columbia representatives, they refused. Delegate ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON was denied the opportunity to testify during a congressional hearing on this bill that would affect the health and safety of the women in the District of Columbia.

Besides being misguided and offensive, H.R. 3803 is dangerous. This bill has only a narrow exception for the life of the woman. This bill has no exception at all for cases of rape or incest.

It is clear that this legislation is part of a broader strategy to ban abortion everywhere not just in the District of Columbia.

I oppose this anti-choice, anti-woman, and anti-District of Columbia bill and urge my colleagues to vote no on this dangerous piece of legislation.

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