House Passes 20-Week Anti-Abortion Bill

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that would ban abortion after 20 weeks. This legislation, which originally was scheduled for a vote back in January, has limited exceptions. Requirements for these would include a 48-hour waiting period for rape survivors, as well as mandatory counseling and medical treatment at least two-days prior to receiving the abortion—whether or not the victim requests it. Underage victims of rape and incest would be required to report the crime.

According to The Hill, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest called House Republicans “disgraceful” for passing a vote on a bill that “would put additional burdens on survivors of rape and sexual assault.” Standard fetal anomaly scans that occur at 18-20 weeks can reveal dangerous complications and birth abnormalities. This bill would take away a woman’s right to make her own personal health decisions at an extremely crucial time.

The Hillary Clinton Campaign also responded to the bill in a statement by Senior Policy Advisor Maya Harris:

“This bill is a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, which has protected a woman’s constitutional right to privacy for over forty years. The bill puts women’s health and rights at risk, undermines the role doctors play in health care decisions, burdens survivors of sexual assault, and is not based on sound science. It also follows a dangerous trend we are witnessing across the country. In just the first three months of 2015, more than 300 bills have been introduced in state legislatures—on top of the nearly 30 measures introduced in Congress—that restrict access to abortion. Politicians should not interfere with personal medical decisions, which should be left to a woman, her family and her faith, in consultation with her doctor or health care provider.”

Clinton also tweeted a message supporting the statement.

As long as President Obama is in office, the bill is far from becoming legalized. Still, government leaders seem to be working harder than ever to make themselves the dictators of our bodies.