Congressional hearings set for Wednesday for Steve King’s Heartbeat Protection Act of 2017
The US House of Representatives will hold a hearing in the Judiciary Committee Wednesday for H.R.490 – Heartbeat Protection Act of 2017 that was introduced by Iowa Representative Steve King earlier this year.
photo Ivon19 via wikimedia commons
The bill is summarized as follows:
This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for a physician to knowingly perform an abortion: (1) without determining whether the fetus has a detectable heartbeat, (2) without informing the mother of the results, or (3) after determining that a fetus has a detectable heartbeat.
It provides an exception for an abortion that is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical (but not psychological or emotional) disorder, illness, or condition.
A physician who performs a prohibited abortion is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both.
A woman who undergoes a prohibited abortion may not be prosecuted for violating or conspiring to violate the provisions of this bill.
Only 3 weeks and 1 day after fertilization – the heart begins to beat. By 4 weeks, the heart typically beats between 105 and 121 times per minute.
Related:
- Human embryology, abortion and a look at the science
- Rand Paul reintroduces the Life at Conception Act
- Judge rules taxpayers must fund abortion for illegal immigrant teen
- House passes late term abortion ban, but bill will not pass Senate
- Illinois Gov Bruce Rauner signs bill to force taxpayer funded abortions, Right to Life says 12000 babies killed annually
