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Thursday, May 31, 2012

Prenatal Nondiscrimination Bill Discriminated Against in Congress

This is another way that the Republicans are trying to wage war on Women.  I just do not understand,  it is like they are intimidated by our stick-to-it and do not quit.  No glass ceiling for us.  They really want us home, pregnant, not working, home schooling, not voting, no rights.  What are we? WOMEN OR MICE?  Women stand up and take action, because if we don't, we will be sorry....  



Capitol DomeCongressional Democrats need to make up their minds. Are they opposed to discrimination against women or are they in favor of it? Because House Republicans are getting some real mixed signals over here.
First they were opposed to Republican efforts to reduce women's access to abortion options while limiting their ability to use birth control, and now they won't get behind a GOP plan to stop prenatal sexual discrimination. What gives?!
The House on Thursday rejected a Republican bill that would impose fines and prison terms on doctors who perform abortions for the sole purpose of controlling the gender of the child, a practice known as sex-selective abortion.
The Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA), H.R. 3541, was defeated in a 246-168 vote. While that's a clear majority of the House, Republicans called up the bill under a suspension of House rules, which limits debate and requires a two-thirds majority vote to pass. In this case, it would have required more support from Democrats.
Twenty Democrats voted for the bill, while seven Republicans opposed it. The bill would have needed 30 more yeas to pass.
Look, this is a serious problem that probably happens all the time, probably. Okay, maybe we don't have the numbers to back that up, but we have something better than numbers. Strong suspicions. And sure this would make it that much more difficult for women to get abortions. That's totally a coincidence.
Probably.
Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images News/Getty Images


H.R. 3541: Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA) of 2012 (On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended)

Number:
House Vote #299 [primary source: house.gov]
Date:
May 31, 2012 (112th Congress)
Result:
Failed
Related Bill:
H.R. 3541: Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA) of 2012
Introduced by Rep. Trent Franks [R-AZ2] on December 1, 2011
Current Status: Reported by Committee
This vote was taken under a procedure called “suspension of the rules” which is typically used to pass non-controversial bills. Votes under suspension require a 2/3rds majority. A failed vote under suspension can be taken again.

Bill Overview

Status:
Introduced Dec 01, 2011
Referred to Committee Dec 01, 2011
Reported by Committee Feb 16, 2012
Passed House May 31, 2012 (112th Congress)Failed
Passed Senate (not yet occurred)
Signed by the President (not yet occurred)
The committees assigned to this bill sent it to the House or Senate as a whole for consideration on February 16, 2012.
Prognosis:
Just 29% of all House bills reported favorably by committee in 2009–2010 were enacted.
Cosponsors:
show cosponsors (98)
Committees:
House Committee on the Judiciary
The committee chair determines whether a bill will move past the committee stage.


Official Summary

The following summary was written by the Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan arm of the Library of Congress, which serves Congress. GovTrack did not write and has no control over these summaries.
12/1/2011--Introduced.
Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act of 2011 - Imposes criminal penalties on anyone who knowingly or knowingly attempts to: 
(1) perform an abortion knowing that the abortion is sought based on the sex, gender, color or race of the child, or the race of a parent; 
(2) use force or the threat of force to intentionally injure or intimidate any person for the purpose of coercing a sex-selection or race-selection abortion; 
(3) solicit or accept funds for the performance of such an abortion; or 
(4) transport a woman into the United States or across a state line for the purpose of obtaining such an abortion. 
Authorizes civil actions, for verifiable money damages for injuries and punitive damages, by: 
(1) fathers, or maternal grandparents if the mother is an unemancipated minor, of unborn children who are the subject of an abortion performed or attempted through any of the above violations; and 
(2) women upon whom an abortion has been performed or attempted with a knowing or attempted use of force or threat of force to intentionally injure or intimidate any person for the purpose of coercing a sex-selection or race-selection abortion. 
Authorizes, to prevent an abortion provider from performing or attempting further abortions in violation of this Act, injunctive relief to be obtained by the women upon whom such an abortion is performed or attempted, spouses or parents of a woman upon whom such an abortion is performed, or the Attorney General (DOJ). Deems a violation of this Act to be prohibited discrimination under title VI (Federally Assisted Programs) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (Violators of title VI lose federal funding.) Requires a medical or mental health professional to report known or suspected violations to law enforcement authorities. Imposes criminal penalties for a failure to so report. Prohibits a woman having such an abortion from being prosecuted or held civilly liable.  
Excludes from the definition of "abortion" actions taken to terminate a pregnancy if the intent is to save the life or preserve the health of the unborn child, remove a dead unborn child caused by spontaneous abortion, or remove an ectopic pregnancy.

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