Rep. Frank's Bill Would Impose Dangerous, Unconstitutional Limits on Women's Health Care

(Washington, D.C.) The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote today on H.R. 1797, which would ban abortion after 20 weeks, putting women’s lives and health at risk.

Offered by Representative Trent Franks (R – Ariz.), H.R. 1797 is a dangerous attempt to deny women access to reproductive health care and a blatantly unconstitutional challenge to Roe v. Wade. The bill bans certain pre-viability abortions outright, includes a very narrow life exception, and has no health exception at all, thus violating established constitutional standards.

In addition, the bill’s so-called exception for rape and incest includes an unacceptable reporting requirement, given that only 35 percent of women who are raped actually report the crime, according to the Department of Justice.

The following statement is from Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President of the National Women’s Law Center:

“H.R. 1797 is a dangerous and cruel bill that could cause serious harm to women and their families. With only a very narrow exception to save a woman’s life and no health exception at all, the legislation denies any consideration of a woman’s individual and sometimes dire circumstances. The bill also threatens doctors with criminal penalties if they perform these banned abortions and therefore prevents them from acting in the best interest of their patients. This bill denies a woman the ability to make decisions for herself based on her own health needs and in consultation with her physician, her family, and other trusted individuals. Politicians should not be in the business of substituting their decisions for a woman’s own decision-making about her health and her life or for the judgment of her physician.

“The flat-out 20-week ban, without even an exception for a woman’s health and with a narrow life exception, creates an all-out challenge to Roe v. Wade. We urge all House members to stand up for women’s health and vote down H.R. 1797.”

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