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Congressman Cole Votes to Ban Partial-Birth Abortion

June 4, 2003

Washington D.C. – Representative Tom Cole voted today for the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 (H.R. 760). Congressman Cole is a co-sponsor of the legislation that passed in the House, 282-139.

"Partial-birth abortion is a gruesome procedure that has no place in legitimate medical practices," Congressman Tom Cole. "This responsible bill is based on testimony from medical experts and addresses constitutional concerns by clearly defining what this ban prohibits."

Influential medical experts have testified that unborn babies are fully able to feel pain after 20 weeks of development, when many of the procedures occur. H.R. 760 stipulates that violators will be subject to fines and a maximum of two years in prison.

The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act would prohibit the performance of a partial-birth abortion except when "necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself."

The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 is the same as that which passed in the House on July 24, 2002 (as H.R. 4965). Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act (S. 3) passed in the Senate on March 13, 2003 with a vote of 64-33.

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Issues:Life