Governor Perry Vows Texas Will Pass Ban on Late-Term Abortions

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jul 7, 2013   |   11:26AM   |   Austin, TX

Governor Rick Perry appeared on a Sunday current events television show and pledged that the Texas legislature will pass and he will sign the bill that bans late-term abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

A Texas state House committee approved the bill last week and more legislative action is expected on Monday and Tuesday.

The last attempt to pass the bill was halted in the state Senate with a pro-abortion filibuster but state Sen. Wendy Davis says she will not filibuster the bill a second time.

In his interview, Perry defended comments he made about pro-abortion lawmaker Wendy Davis.

“She was a teenage mother herself,” Perry said of Davis last month. “She managed to eventually graduate from Harvard Law School and serve in the Texas Senate. It’s just unfortunate that she hasn’t learned from her own example that every life must be given a chance to realize its full potential and that every life matters.”

From Perry’s Sunday television appearance:

“We have a special session with some important issues in front of us. We’re going to pass some restrictions on abortion in Texas so that Texas is a place where we defend life. That’s the powerful message here, that’s what we’re focused on,” Perry said on “Fox News Sunday.” “We can be in and out of here in another 10 days… we will get this done and get Texas back focused on the economic interests.”

Perry also defended remarks he’d made that it was “unfortunate” that Davis, a single mother, “hasn’t learned from her own example that every life must be given a chance to reach its full potential and that every life matters.”

“Those comments were meant to be a compliment to her for what she’s accomplished in her life,” Perry said by way of explanation. “My point was that saving a life and letting that life come to its fulfillment and all the good things that happen, you never know who’s going to be considered to be an extraordinary individual.”

The Texas governor also doubled down on criticism of protesters who flooded the state senate’s balcony during the filibuster to shout their support for Davis and opposition to the bill.

“It was the gallery that was out of control, literally out of control… anyone who watched that would consider it to be mob rule,” Perry said. “Rules were followed on the Senate floor. It was the decorum of the Senate chamber that was put in a bad light.”

Perry said he expected disruptive protestors would be removed from the building during the second session.

“The taking of life after twenty weeks is what this is about,” Perry said. “The killing of babies that are viable outside their mom’s bodies after twenty weeks is what this is about. A lot of folks really don’t want to talk about that. They would like to focus on practically anything rather than to say we support that process.”

The bill would ban abortions after 20 weeks and hold abortion clinics accountable by making them meet basic health and safety standards that have closed facilities in other states that are unable to comply. The bill also requires all abortion clinics to meet the same health and safety regulations as an ambulatory surgical center, requires a doctor providing abortions to secure admitting privileges at a nearby hospital, and lastly, requires a doctor to personally administer the abortion-inducing drugs to the patient.The hearing saw the halls packed with over 2,100 people wanting to testify on the bill — with most of them pro-life and supporting it. The final count on the bill was 3,543 who registered a position with the Texas government computer system — 2,181 supporting the bill and 1,335 against it.“In terms of witnesses, the system has never seen overload like this,” said Rep. Helen Giddings, the vice chairwoman of the House State Affairs Committee.The state House is expected to debate the bill on July 9 after the Texas legislature returns from its Independence Day recess.

Perry issued a call for a special session of the Texas legislature to pass the bill that a pro-abortion mob prevented the legislature from passing it.

“I am calling the Legislature back into session because too much important work remains undone for the people of Texas. Through their duly elected representatives, the citizens of our state have made crystal clear their priorities for our great state,” Perry said. “Texans value life and want to protect women and the unborn. Texans want a transportation system that keeps them moving. Texans want a court system that is fair and just. We will not allow the breakdown of decorum and decency to prevent us from doing what the people of this state hired us to do.”

Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst addressed the National Right to Life Convention in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday, affirming his commitment to passing protective legislation for mothers and their unborn children in the upcoming second special legislative session.

“I am not discouraged. We will pass this bill out of the legislature,” he said.

The filibuster was not the only impediment to passage of the bill — a noisy group of abortion advocates made it impossible for members of the Senate to conduct business and that may happen again — making it so Dewhurst will need to step up and regain control of the chamber so the bill can be debated and a vote taken.

Texas legislators on Monday filed a new bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks and hold abortion facilities accountable for breaking health and safety laws after a pro-abortion mob derailed the previous bill.

Abortion advocates protested at the state capitol but pro-lifers drowned them out with signing of Amazing Grace. The paid protesters opposing the late-term abortion ban in Texas are also  doing more than rallying outside the legislature against the pro-life bill. They’re threatening pro-life state legislators and their staffers.

Call and email YOUR Representative and Senator starting on Monday with a simple message, “Please speak, stand, and vote FOR HB 2.  My support will be significantly determined by the vote on this bill.” Visit this link to confirm your correct Representative and Senator: https://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx