H.R. 649, The Ultrasound Informed Consent Act

• This item is from the 111th Congress (2009-2010) and is no longer current. Comments, voting, and wiki editing have been disabled, and the cost/savings estimate has been frozen.
• This bill, or a similar bill, was reintroduced in the current Congress as H.R. 3737, The ULTRA.

Version saved on January 26, 2009, 19:30:12, by webmaster:

H.R. 649 would ensure that women seeking an abortion receive an ultrasound and the opportunity to review the ultrasound before giving informed consent to receive an abortion.

Detailed Summary

Ultrasound Informed Consent Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require abortion providers, before a woman gives informed consent to any part of an abortion, to perform an obstetric ultrasound on the pregnant woman, explain the results, display the ultrasound images so the woman may view them, and provide a medical description of the ultrasound images, including the dimensions of the embryo or fetus and the presence of external members and internal organs, if present and viewable. Provides for: (1) civil penalties for willful failure to comply; and (2) a medical emergency exception.

Prohibits construing this Act to require a woman to view the images or penalizing the physician or the woman if she refuses to look at the images.

Status of the Legislation

Latest Major Action: 1/22/2009: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Points in Favor

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Points Against

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