government
Bill that would ban sex-selective abortions fails to proceed in House
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted June 11, 2012
House legislation to ban abortions that are sought based on the gender or race of the fetus failed to gain enough votes to meet a procedural requirement on May 31.
The Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act of 2012 seeks to criminalize sex-selection abortions. These abortions are more common outside the United States, but recent studies have shown female fetuses have been aborted because of the preference to have sons in the U.S., said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Trent Franks (R, Ariz.). The measure did not receive a supermajority vote that was needed, but it was supported by the chamber 246-168.
“Though it did not secure the two-thirds majority necessary to pass under suspension rules, I am confident that this is not the end, but merely the opening salvo in ensuring the words, ‘It’s a girl,’ are no longer a death sentence for so many unborn girls,” Franks said.
Most Democrats opposed the bill despite expressing support for ending sex-selective abortions around the world. Rep. Mike Quigley (D, Ill.) said the legislation would have forced doctors to question women about their reasons for seeking abortions and potentially promoted racial profiling by doctors.
“It would likely compel physicians to target certain groups of women from cultures where sex-selection abortion is more prevalent,” Quigley said. “To avoid liability, physicians may even cease providing such care to entire groups of women, simply because of their race.”
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/06/11/gvbf0611.htm.
