Majority of NC Delegation Votes To Protect Unborn Children

Tuesday evening, July 31, the U. S. House of Representatives debated and voted on H. R. 3803, the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The vote was to reject the current DC policy which allows abortion for any reason until birth and replace the policy with one which prohibits with some exceptions abortions after 20 weeks fetal age. The historic vote represented a solid majority of  House members, 220-154. The vote fell short of the 2/3 needed for the fast tract (suspension of the rules) procedure that was used to bring the bill up for a vote.

A solid majority of the members of the NC Congressional delegation voted in favor of protecting unborn children who can feel pain beginning at 20 weeks gestation from the pain of abortion: Reps. Renee Ellmers (R-2), Walter Jones (R-3), Virginia Foxx (R-5), Howard Coble (R-6), Mike McIntyre (D-7), Larry Kissell (D-8), Sue Myrick (R-9), Patrick McHenry (R-10), and Heath Shuler (D-11).  

You can watch a video of Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-5) speaking in support of the bill on the House floor.

The other 4 members of the NC delegation, Reps. G. K. Butterfield (D-1), David Price (D-4), Mel Watt (D-12), and Brad Miller (D-13), voted to endorse the policy of abortion up to the time of birth in our nation's capital.

National Right to Life (NRLC) provided the time and resources lobbying the House to get the cosponsors and the historic vote.  North Carolina Right to Life, the state affiliate of NRLC, worked along side them to help in the lobbying effort.

For the constitutional basis for the vote and the scientific evidence to support the need for the law, visit NRLC's web site.