{"id":293492,"date":"2023-06-22T14:46:16","date_gmt":"2023-06-22T19:46:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=293492"},"modified":"2023-06-21T15:36:52","modified_gmt":"2023-06-21T20:36:52","slug":"members-congress-force-extreme-abortion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/members-congress-force-extreme-abortion\/","title":{"rendered":"Members of Congress attempt to force vote on extreme pro-abortion measure"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pro-abortion U.S. representatives last Wednesday filed<\/a> a “discharge petition” in an attempt to force Speaker Kevin McCarthy to hold a vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act<\/a> (WHPA), which would restore access to abortion to what it was prior to the fall of Roe v. Wade<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The WHPA had been deemed “destined to fail<\/a>” by media outlets as it aims to allow abortion through all nine months of pregnancy, up until the moment of birth, as Roe<\/em> and Doe<\/em> achieved through a loosely-defined “health of the mother” loophole. It would also wipe out any state-level protections for preborn children that have been enacted since the Supreme Court overturned Roe<\/em> in June 2022, and prohibit states from passing any<\/em> additional laws to protect preborn children prior to so-called “viability.” Viability is typically viewed to occur at about 24 weeks gestation, though with medical advancements in the last few decades, babies born as young as 21 weeks have survived. In addition, abortionists who are left to determine “viability” say it is not merely determined by gestational age<\/a>, but by other arbitrary factors of their choice as well.<\/p>\n

\"Target<\/a><\/p>\n

The WHPA would also eliminate conscience protections, thereby forcing healthcare professionals to participate in abortions against their will under the threat of losing their jobs.<\/p>\n

Pro-Choice Caucus Chairs Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), along with Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.)\u00a0filed the discharge petition, and House rules state that if a discharge petition is signed by 218 members of the House, it must immediately be brought before the full House for a vote.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf my colleagues on the other side of the aisle aren\u2019t willing to stand up for the people they represent, then we must,\u201d DeGette, co-chair of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, said<\/a> on the House floor Wednesday when announcing the decision to file the petition. \u201cWe may not have the majority in this chamber, but there is no doubt that we have the majority of Americans on our side in this fight. Now is the time to end the devastation that too many Americans have already experienced. Now is the time to let the American public know exactly where every member of this chamber stands.\u201d<\/p>\n