Phone and basic a. M. Radio that was as big as your hand. The same newspaper would report on the latest advanced research on the pain experienced by unborn children focused on the research of an oxfordtrained neonatal pediatrician who held an appointment at harvard medical school. If the fetus is beyond 20 weeks of gestation, i would assume that there will be pain caused to the fetus and i believe it will be severe and excruciating pain. A few years later the terrifying facts uncovered in the gand jury report regarding dr. Gosnell, would contain references to a neonatal expert who said the cutting of babies spinal cords intended to be lateterm aborted would cause them, and i quote, a tremendous amount of pain. Congress has the power and the responsibility to acknowledge these developments in our understanding of the ability of unborn children to feel pain by prohibiting abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, postfertilization the point at which evidence shows the unborn can experience great suffering. The bill before us would do just that. It also includes provisions to protect the life of the mother and additional exceptions of rape and incease. Some members last congress and today have called this bill extreme but such claims are false as evidenced by the polls which show astounding support for this bill. A poll found that 62 of people surveyed supported the ban on abortions after 20 weeks or earlier. A clear majority of men women, whites, blacks, hispanics, married people and single people support a ban on abortion after 20 weeks. Among women, 68 of women support a ban on abortions at 20 weeks or earlier, including 66 of single women and 71 of married women. Even 49 of the democrats polled support a ban on abortion at 20 weeks or earlier significantly more than those who opposed it. A Washington Post poll similarly found 66 support for this bill and a Huffington Post poll found support at 59 . Today, america is one of the few countries on earth including north korea and china that allows per miss i have lateterm abortion. These polls show the American People want to change that. Today is the second anniversary of Kermit Gosnells conviction for first degree murder. Following the gosnell trial, we were all reminded that when lateterm babies are taken from the womb and cut with scissors, they whimper, cry and flinch from pain. An unborn babies when cut inside the womb also whimper and cry and flinch from pain. Delivered or not babies are babies and they can feel pain at least by 20 weeks. It is time to welcome Young Children who can feel pain into the human family. And this bill, at last, will do just that. Finally i would note that it is rare for the Nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office to be so confident that a bill would save lives that it makes estimates to the number of lives to be saved. But the c. B. O. Did just that, conservatively estimating that this bill if enacted would save 2,500 lives each year. It could save many thousands more. But let that sink in for a moment. This bill if enacted would probably save at a minimum thousands of lives per year. It would give america the gift of thousands more children and consequently thousands more mothers and thousands more fathers. With all the wonders human gifts they will bring to the world in so many amazing forms, including their own children for generations to come. I congratulate the subcommittee on the constitution and Civil Justice chairman, trent franks, for introducing this vital legislation, and i urge my colleagues to support it. And i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from virginia reserves. The gentleman from michigan is recognized. Mr. Conyers thank you, madam speaker. I yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Conyers madam speaker and members of the house, this legislation is a dangerous and farreaching attack on a womans constitutional right to choose whether or not to terminate a pregnancy, a right that the Supreme Court guaranteed 42 years ago in the case of roe versus wade. One of the most significant problems with this legislation is that it fails to include any exception for a womans health. Many Serious Health conditions materialize or worsened late in pregnancy, including damage to the heart and kidneys, hyper tension and even some forms of hormoneinduced cancer. And yet by failing to include a health exception, h. R. 36 would force a woman to wait until her condition was nearly terminal before she could obtain an abortion to address her health condition. In addition its unconstitutional based on longstanding Supreme Court precedent. I will explain. Roe v. Wades basic holding is that a woman has a constitutional right to have an abortion prior to the fetus viability. Viability is generally considered to be around 24 weeks from fertilization, not 20 weeks. By banning previability abortions, h. R. 36 is a direct challenge to roe v. Wade. In addition, roe made clear that any regulation or abortion, even after viability, must not pose a substantial risk to the womans health. But as i have already noted, h. R. 36 lacks any exception to protect a pregnant womans health. Its therefore not surprising that the nations leading civil rights organizations, medical professionals, and womens groups oppose this bill. In addition, 15 religious organizations noted in a letter to members of congress opposing nearly identical legislation in the last congress that, quote, the decision to end a pregnancy is best left to a woman in consultation with her family, her doctor, and her faith. End quotation. Finally, i want to be clear that the that contrary to assertions made by the bills proponents this legislation still contains a woefully inadequate exception for victims of rape. The socalled rape exception is still based on a complete lack of understanding of the very real challenges rape survivors face and why a rape may go unreported. It is also grounded in the distrust of women, assuming that women cannot be trusted to tell the truth, to make the best medical decisions for themselves and their families. For adult rape survivors, the bill no longer requires that the rape be reported to Law Enforcement. However, a woman must still obtain counseling 48 hours prior to the abortion and the fact that she has obtained counseling for a rape must be certified and documented in her medical file. And this counseling cannot be obtained in the same facility where the abortion is provided. For minor victims of rape or incest an exception from the bills onerous and unconstitutional restrictions only applies if the rape has been reported to Law Enforcement or a Government Agency legally authorized to act on reports of child abuse. Rape is not rape unless the minor has reported it, even if that means putting her own safety at risk. For these reasons, my colleagues, i urge opposition to this dangerous legislation and i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from michigan reserves. The gentleman from virginia is recognized. Mr. Goodlatte at this time, i yield the remainder of my time to the gentlewoman from tennessee congressman black, as my designee for purposes of controlling the remainder of the debate on our side. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman from tennessee will be recognized as the designee of the gentleman from virginia. And the gentlewoman from tennessee is recognized. Mrs. Black thank you madam chair. I yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized. Mrs. Black madam speaker, when i became a nurse more than 40 years ago, i took a vow to devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care. But our understanding of the Science Limited to the extent to which i could fulfill that promise has evolved. During my first years of nurse if a woman came into our hospital in labor at 32 weeks of pregnancy, our odds of saving her child were slim. However today, babies are being saved as early as 22 weeks into Fetal Development, according to a study just released this past week by the New York Times. Whats more, there is significant evidence that at 20 weeks of development unborn children have the capacity to feel pain. Sadly, while we celebrate advances in technology that prove life has value and worth before leaving the hospital, we also continue to be one of only seven nations that allow elective longterm elective lateterm abortions. One of only seven nations around this world. It is difficult to imagine a more important measure of society than how it treats the most innocent and defenseless population and by condoning the destruction of unborn life that could otherwise live outside the womb the United States tragically fails to meet this most fundamental human rights standard. Basic decency and human compassion demand that something has to change. Polls consistently show that upwards of 60 of americans support putting an end to the dangerous and inhumane practice of lateterm abortion. So to be clear, we have a mandate to act. That is why i strongly support the paincapable unborn Child Protection act this week which will provide several protections for an unborn child at 20 weeks with exceptions to the saving the lie of the mother or in cases of rape and incest. Todays vote coincides with the twoyear anniversary of the conviction of the evil abortionist kermit gosnell, who killed babies born alive in his clinic and is responsible for the death of an adult woman. Americans were rightfully outraged when they were told of his crimes. But the truth is that innocent unborn children routinely suffer that same fate as goes nells victims did as gosnells victims did through normal lateterm abortions and the government does not bat an eye. The only difference between these casualties and the loss of life that resulted in gosnells murder conviction is the location. Madam speaker if we cannot appeal to my proabortion lawmakers sense of compassion when it comes to this issue surely we can at least appeal to their senses of logic and fact. Knowing that premature babies are being saved as early as 22 weeks into Fetal Development theres no legitimate reason to oppose this bill. In the year 2015 the United States has no business aborting a life that can live outside the womb. Science agrees and so do the majority of americans. The paincapable unborn Child Protection act will right this wrong. Madam speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman from tennessee reserves. The gentleman from michigan is recognized. Mr. Conyers madam speaker, i am pleased now to yield to the gentleman from tennessee im pleased to yield to the gentleman from tennessee three minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for three minutes. Mr. Cohen thank you, madam speaker, thank you, mr. Chairman, for the time. I appreciate the good feelings and earnest arguments made by the lady from tennessee and the gentleman from arizona. But the fact is this bill is patently unconstitutional. Because this bill is not about viability its a subterfuge for viability and talks about the issue of pain. Pain is not the issue, viability is the issue. With real and what the real issue is, politicians are not medical experts and women should make these decisions based upon information from people they trust. Women should make these decisions based upon information from people they trust. The information given about this bill is limited. The fact is, doctor anan, cited by my friend the chairman of the committee is from the university of tennessee in memphis where im from. And the fact is, dr. Anan, since 2005 has turned down requests to testify in regards to this type of legislation because he doesnt think that his studies have been used properly. Abortion is not the focus and the polityization of his work has got the politicization of his work has gotten out of hands. There are polls that say one thing and polls that say the other. The wol i respect shows about an even one third, one third split on support, opposition and indecision. But this isnt about polls. This is supposed to be about the constitution. And upholding roe v. Wade and medical experts and not politicians making decisions that are polldriven and possibly favorable to their own constituency. The exceptions for incest is the most egregious. If a person is pregnant a woman is pregnant because of incest, under this law, if the lady is under 18 years of age, theres one rule. But if shes 18 years of age or older theres another rule. And what it says is if youre 18 over and youre pregnant as a result of incest then you cannot get an abortion. You cannot. But if youre under 18, you can if you report it to Law Enforcement authorities. And a discussion last night in rules committee, the vice chair of the rules committee errantly compared rape and incest. Incest does not necessarily involve rape, it involves intercourse between parties that are not legally supposed to have intercourse and issues which could result in problems for the child. Incest should always be an exception and the life and health of the mother should always be an exception and the health exceptions are limited to physical and not mental and emotional which are the most pressing for women and theyre also a 48hour waiting period in this bill system of this bill is unconstitutional and wrong, we should respect medical experts and not politicians and women to make decisions with people they trust and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expire the gentlewoman from tennessee is recognized. Mrs. Black thank you, madam speaker. It is my pleasure to yield a minute to our majority whip, mr. Scalise from louisiana. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Scalise thank you, madam speaker. I want to thank the gentlelady from tennessee for yielding and for her leadership and for all of the people that have work sod hard to bring this important bill to the house floor. If you look at what were doing here today were standing up for life of our most innocent. Were talking about babies that are more than 20 weeks in the womb. Scientific evidence shows that after 20 weeks these babies can feel pain and so this bill prohibits abortions after five months of pregnancy. Im proud to come from louisiana which has a distinction of being the most prolife state in the nation. Our state already bans this procedure, as do many. And not just states were talking about. Most nations in the world dont allow this procedure. After 20 weeks. And so the United States will finally be joining the vast majority of other countries around the world and the vast majority of americans who understand that its not right to have abortions after 20 weeks. This is an important bill. I think its very strong message to were going to be sending in defense of life by passing it and i urge my colleagues to support it as well. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired this egentleman from michigan is recognized. Mr. Conyers madam speaker, i am pleased to yield to a Senior Member of the house Judiciary Committee, jerry nadler of new york, three minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from new york is recognized for threemens. Mr. Nadler i thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise in opposition to h. R. 36. For more than 40 years, the Supreme Court has clearly and consistently held that women have the constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy prior to viability or at any time to protect the life and health of a mother. This bill is unconstitutional as violating both of those provisions. The bill provides a narrow depomings protect womens lives, allowing physicians to terminate pregnancy after 20 weeks only in a womans life is at imminent risk. This exemption fails to account for the many Severe Health issues that may arise late in pregnancy and forces physicians to think about legal implications rather than about a patients health. Thats perhaps most cruelly it encludes only a very narrow exemption for victims of rape and incest, requiring that any woman seeking an abortion after, prove she either reported the rape to authorities of sought counseling services. Only 35 of Sexual Assaults are ever reported and we know there are many reasons for not reporting a rape. The toll our criminal Justice System takes on victim the humiliation and intimidation faced by victims of i a 15u89 and the adegreesal risk to her safety. So why place this limit on the rape quite simple. This bill says they believe women lie. The republicans seem to think that women are too dishonest to believe when they say they have been raped. This bill continues a tradition of treating women like secondclass citizens. Measures to restrict abortions that women lie about rape and must undergo invasive tests and exams and women are immoral. That is insulting. Frankly none of our business. Enough is enough. Doctors, not politicians should be providing women guidance and medical support throughout their pregnancy and making a personal decision about terminating a pregnancy and women should make that decision for themselves. We must defeat this unconstitutional bill and afford women their constitutional right enjoyed by every man to make decisions about their health care in the privacy of their doctors offices. I urge to vote no and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentlewoman from tennessee is recognized. Mrs. Black it is my honor now to call op representative franks from arizona, who is the sponsor of the bill. For five minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from arizona is recognized for five minutes. Mr. Franks i thank the gentlelady. Madam speaker, for the sake of all of those who founded this nation and dreamed of what america could someday be and for the sake of all of those who died in darkness so americans can walk in the light of freedom, it is important that those of us who are privileged to be members of this congress pause from time to time. Thomas jefferson marked the beginning of this nation said, quote the care of human