House advances 20-week abortion bill

WASHINGTON—House lawmakers advanced legislation on Tuesday to enshrine protections for unborn babies after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., seeks to criminalize late-term abortions, with exceptions for rape, incest, or when the mother’s life is at risk. “Very late-term abortions are an extreme and barbaric practice,” Franks said. “The U.S. is only one of seven countries on earth, including North Korea and China, which allow elective abortions after 20 weeks.” After the vote, Franks urged Senate leaders to pass the law quickly and send it on to President Donald Trump. The White House announced on Monday that the president intends to sign the bill into law if it passes. The House approved similar legislation two years ago but the bill failed in the Senate. The odds of it passing have not improved this time around, with pro-life senators still lacking the votes needed. Approximately 20 states already have similar abortion limits on the books, although these laws are not all in effect because of court orders.