Late-term abortion bill causes stir in House
WASHINGTON (WTTG/FOX) - A bill to ban late-term abortions in Washington D.C. was defeated in the House of Representatives.
Arizona Republican Trent Franks enraged district leaders with his proposal to ban abortions for D.C. women. He said he wanted to protect the rights of the innocent, who could feel pain in the 20th week of pregnancy.
"Mr. Speaker, if we cannot find the will or the courage to protect human babies from being tortured, then what claim on human compassion remains to us?" asked Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ). "What we're doing to babies is real, Mr. Speaker. It is barbaric in the purest sense of the word."
Ohio Republican Steven LaTourette said the bill is one of the reasons he's quitting Congress.
LaTourette abruptly announced Tuesday that he would step down at the end of the year.
A lot of Democrats from other states were infuriated as well.
"This bill is an assault on decency and common sense," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-NY. "And it adds to the battery of weapons used by our Republican colleagues in their war against women."
The defeated bill would have banned abortions - even if the women's health was in jeopardy - and in cases of rape or incest.
But Washington D.C. found allies across the country in lawmakers who agreed D.C. was being picked on and bullied.
"We should remember that this bill only applies to the District of Columbia, which some members of the other side of the aisle appear to view as a colony," said Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-NY.
The office of Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer released a statement saying: "Once again, Republicans are playing politics with women's healthcare. This bill, which would place new restrictions on women seeking reproductive health options in the District of Columbia, is the latest attempt to drive Americans apart on wedge issues at a time when we ought to be coming together to tackle the challenges we face together as a nation."
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