Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 36 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

(House Rules)
(Rep. Franks, R-AZ, and 170 cosponsors)

The Administration strongly supports H.R. 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, and applauds the House of Representatives for continuing its efforts to secure critical pro-life protections.

H.R. 36 would generally make it unlawful for any person to perform, or attempt to perform, an abortion of an unborn child after 20 weeks post-fertilization, with limited exceptions. The bill, if enacted into law, would help to facilitate the culture of life to which our Nation aspires. Additionally, the bill would promote a science-based approach to unborn life, as recent advancements have revealed that the physical structures necessary to experience pain are developed within 20 weeks of fertilization. The United States is currently out of the mainstream in the family of nations, in which only 7 out of 198 nations allow elective abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. America's children deserve the stronger protections that H.R. 36 would advance.

If H.R. 36 were presented to the President in its current form, his advisors would recommend that he sign the bill into law.