S. 356 would ensure that women seeking an abortion are fully informed regarding the pain experienced by their unborn child.
Detailed Summary
Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require an abortion provider, before beginning any abortion of a pain-capable unborn child (defined as an unborn child who has reached a probable stage of development of 20 weeks after fertilization), to: (1) make a specified statement to the pregnant woman that Congress has determined that there is substantial evidence that the process will cause the unborn child pain, and that the mother has the option of having pain-reducing drugs administered directly to the child; (2) provide to the woman an Unborn Child Pain Awareness Brochure (unless she waives receipt) and an Unborn Child Pain Awareness Decision Form; and (3) obtain on the form the woman's signature and her explicit request for or refusal of the administration of drugs to the child.
Creates an exception for certified medical emergencies.
Establishes penalties for willfully failing to comply with this Act, including civil penalties, medical license suspension, or both. Authorizes: (1) specified officials to bring suit in federal court; and (2) private rights of action by a parent or guardian of a woman who is an unemancipated minor.
Requires each state and state medical licensing authority to promulgate procedures for the revocation or suspension of a provider's license upon a court finding that the provider has violated this Act. Subjects a state that fails to implement such procedures to loss of Medicaid funding.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 1/22/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
A.M.
This is a good thing.
jr
"the pain experienced by their unborn child."
you must be joking. i am suposed to believe that the fetus suffers?
Shawn
No way, its just a way to bully females away from choice.
Sigh
This is what the wingnut republican waste their time on
Emily
This bill makes me sick to my stomach. It is so in depth that it would scare people into siging this bill. I agree, it is a good idea.
pj
if you would like to remain ignorant about pain experienced by the unborn fetus because parenthood has become more about convience than the welfare of the child you created, then that's your business. see you in hell.
Amanda
I completely agree with this bill. It is not trying to persude women one way or the other, it is just allowing them to make an informative decision.
Linda
Educated folks know the science of living things - nerve endings send messages to our brain regarding pain and/or pleasure.
Preborn human beings have nerve endings and a brain.
S356 will educate those of you who lack this knowledge.
Maybe EVERYONE involved in abortions should not get pain medication . . . let their nerves do their thing & then decide who suffers the most.
How many pieces does Mom, doctor, nurse have to be cut into to realize it hurts?
How much saline solution could their body take?
mdawg
most women that are going to have an abortion have experiencedd enough already.
theres no need for this bill.
this whack foshizzle bro.
crispy
Mr. Foshizzle Bro: Perhaps you think that because women "have experiencedd enough already" we should make *all* their decisions for them? We should avoid giving them all the facts? -- crispy
Anon
Fetal pain is a complicated subject and although it is thought that the last fibres begin appearing between 23 and 30 weeks gestation, evidence suggests these lack function before 29 weeks. Furthermore, multiple sources show strong evidence that the fetus is kept unconscious/sedated throughout pregnancy by various mediators. This is a good review: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/294/8/947. Wikipedia also has a good general review: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetal_pain