House panel votes to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy

Jun 14 2013

An aide to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., said a vote by the full House is planned later this month. Rep. Trent Frank, R-Ariz., one of the bill's sponsors on the House Judiciary Committee, drew criticism for arguing against an amendment to exclude victims of rape and incest by saying that the pregnancy rate from rape is "very low."

The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire: House Panel Votes To Ban Abortions After 20 Weeks of Pregnancy
The House Judiciary Committee voted largely along party lines to approve legislation that would ban all abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, a move that is certain to keep the focus on a contentious social issue that splits Republicans and Democrats. The 20-12 vote Wednesday afternoon sends the bill to the House floor, and an aide to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R., Va.) said Republican leaders plan a vote by the full House later this month (Boles, 6/12).

Roll Call: House Pushes Abortion Bill Amid Controversy
Abortion politics -; and the politics of rape -; were back with a vengeance Wednesday, with House Judiciary Committee Republicans backing a nationwide ban on abortions after 20 weeks after the bill's chief sponsor dismissed a Democratic push for exemptions for rape and incest (Dumain, 6/12).

CBS News: Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., Stands By Comment That Pregnancy Rate 'Very Low' From Rape
Despite calls from Republican leaders for members of their party to stop talking about rape in the context of the abortion issue, Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., waded directly into that territory Wednesday and is standing by his comment that the number of pregnancies resulting from rape is "very low." … In the aftermath of the Republicans' election day losses, numerous party leaders urged their fellow Republicans to move on from talking about rape and abortions. And in its 2012 election post-mortem report, the GOP stressed that its members need to watch what they say (Haven, 6/12).

Politico: Trent Franks: 'Incidence Of Rape Resulting In Pregnancy Are Very Low'
A House Republican pushing for a 20-week nationwide ban on abortions said Wednesday that the incidence of pregnancies resulting from rape is "very low" -; then scrambled to clarify his comment after it went viral with comparisons to former GOP Senate candidate Todd Akin. "The incidence of rape resulting in pregnancy are very low," said Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) as the House Judiciary Committee debated his bill to ban abortions nationwide after 20 weeks including in cases of rape and incest (Smith and Gibson, 6/13).