Mimi Walters

In Support of HR 36 - May 13, 2015

Mimi Walters
May 13, 2015— Washington DC
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Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of HR 36: the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This bill will protect women and children by establishing federal legal protections from unborn babies of 20 weeks. Substantial evidence has shown that children at 20 weeks, or the fifth month of pregnancy, have the capacity to feel pain, and, due to modern medicine, are increasingly likely to survive a premature birth. Furthermore, this bill protects the health of mothers when they are at their most vulnerable state. At 20 weeks, a woman is 35 times more likely to die from abortion then she would in the first trimester. After 21 weeks, that risk of death for the mother increases almost 100 fold. It is fitting that this bill comes before the House floor on National Women's Health Week, a week-long observance led by the US Department of Health encouraging women to prioritize their health. I'm pleased to stand in support of this piece of women's health legislation today. This bill will empower women in their healthcare decisions and protect the lives of the innocent unborn. I yield back the balance of my time.