Fetal Pain Bill Revived in Congress

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Fetal Pain Bill Revived in Congress

Special Report - August 14, 2007
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R–NJ) introduced legislation on August 3 that would require abortionists to inform patients of the pain experienced by unborn children during abortion procedures. H.R. 3442—Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act of 2007 has over 100 cosponsors, including North Carolina Representatives Virginia Foxx, Walter B. Jones, Jr., Patrick McHenry, Mike McIntyre, and Sue Myrick. Under the bill, abortionists would be required to tell women seeking abortions that the procedure causes fetal pain. They would also be required to tell their patients the probable age of the unborn child, provide a fetal pain brochure, and, if the mother still chooses to have the procedure, offer to provide the unborn child with anesthesia. Senator Sam Brownback (R–KS) introduced a similar bill, S. 356, in the Senate on January 22.

In a statement announcing the release of the bill, Smith described the need for expanded informed consent legislation. “Expert testimony and scientific studies have shown that unborn children have the ability to feel pain from 20 weeks of gestation,” Smith said. “You can be assured that abortion providers are aware of this information which, I might add, is well documented and continues to expand. As of now, there are no federal guidelines that require the provider to share this information with a woman seeking an abortion. This legislation would fill that void.”

Smith introduced an earlier version of the “Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act” in January; however, the motion to suspend the House rules and pass the legislation received a vote of 250 to 162, just 37 votes of the two-thirds majority required in this expedited parliamentary process.