Press Releases

Today, the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice held a Markup of H.R. 1797, the “District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.” Following consideration of the bill, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement:

“I am deeply disappointed that today my colleagues in the majority opted to use our limited working time to consider legislation that is a blatant attack on women’s most fundamental constitutional rights.

“The so-called ‘District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act,’ would institute an unconstitutional prohibition against any abortion after 20 weeks, with only limited exceptions, and impose harsh penalties for noncompliance.  What is worse, the Republicans unanimously voted today to amend the legislation to have it apply to all women.

“Aside from its unconstitutionality, this legislation ignores the real world problems that women may face during pregnancy, including critical medical complications.  Rather than consider the varying circumstances of a pregnant woman, the legislation hurts vulnerable women in the most desperate of circumstances. The subcommittee bill is highly insensitive in many ways, and I am hoping that the Judiciary Committee majority, which is all-male, would reconsider this decision.”

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