The U.S. House of Representatives will vote Tuesday, October 3, 2017 on a bill making it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child is 20 weeks or more. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. Liberty Counsel has worked steadily to encourage legislators to enact this life-saving bill into law.

H.R. 36, known as the “Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act,” recognizes that unborn babies as young as 20 weeks have pain receptors all over their skin in a concentration equal to or greater than that of adult skin. This bill was introduced by Rep. Trent Franks and provides exceptions for the mother’s life or health and for victims of rape and incest. A physician who performs or attempts to perform an abortion under an exception must comply with specified requirements.

According to the Center for Disease Control, there were at least 5,770 late-term abortions performed at or after 21 weeks of pregnancy in the U.S. in 2013. Approximately 8,150 abortions took place between 18 weeks and 20 weeks.

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