Wisconsin pro-life state legislator have introduced a pro-life bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks based on the scientific research showing unborn babies feel substantial pain in abortions. Governor Scott Walker, who will be seeking the Republican nomination for president, has pledged to sign it into law.
“I believe we have a duty and a moral obligation to protect these children from the horrific procedures used to snuff out their lives. The barbaric and painful mutilation of little children is something that no humane and compassionate society should tolerate,” Rep. Jesse Kremer, R-Kewaskum, said in a statement about his bill.
He added: “Simply put, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act will preserve and protect Wisconsin’s innocent, unborn babies who can feel pain. The call to preserve precious, human life transcends party lines. Thus, I hope to see bi-partisan support for this vital measure to protect Wisconsin’s unborn from needless pain and suffering.”
Abortion practitioners who do abortions after 20 weeks would face fines and possible prison terms for violating the abortion ban.
Leading pro-life groups in the Badger State are on board with the pro-life legislation. The sponsors of the bill are seeking co-sponsors at this time and they are urging legislators to join them.
“Wisconsin Right to Life applauds Representatives Jesse Kremer, Joan Ballweg, Joe Sanfelippo and Senator Mary Lazich for circulating the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act,” stated Chelsea Shields, Legislative/PAC Director of Wisconsin Right to Life. “We urge all state representatives and state senators to co-sponsor this bill to protect vulnerable unborn children capable of feeling pain from abortion.”
Shields said substantial medical evidence indicates that unborn children are capable of feeling pain by 20 weeks post-fertilization, at the latest. Abortion methods used at 20 weeks and further into pregnancy, most commonly the D&E method where an unborn child is dismembered limb-by-limb, are extremely painful to the unborn child. In 2013 alone, 89 unborn children were killed by abortion at an age approximately 20 weeks post-fertilization or older, when they were capable of feeling pain.
“We look forward to seeing this historic and lifesaving legislation passed quickly and signed into law,” continued Shields. “Unborn babies cannot cry out when they feel pain, so we must be their voice.”
Earlier this year, Walker said he would back the bill and sign it into law.
“As the Wisconsin legislature moves forward in the coming session, further protections for mother and child are likely to come to my desk in the form of a bill to prohibit abortions after 20 weeks. I will sign that bill when it gets to my desk and support similar legislation on the federal level. I was raised to believe in the sanctity of life and I will always fight to protect it.”
The position is not a new one as Walker co-sponsored legislation in 1998 while he was a member of the Wisconsin state legislature to ban abortions after 20 weeks.
Life is a value I learned from my parents, and it’s a value I have cherished every day, predating my time in politics. My policies throughout my career have earned a 100% rating with pro-life groups in Wisconsin. Just in my first term I signed numerous pieces of pro-life legislation and I will continue working for every life.
In my past four years as governor, we have made substantial progress in the fight for our pro-life values in Wisconsin. We defunded Planned Parenthood. We prohibited abortion from being covered by health plans in a health exchange. We passed legislation assuring the women and their unborn child are better protected under law – through placing stringent requirements on medical professionals and requiring the provision of thorough and vital information to the mother.
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I was raised to believe in the sanctity of life and I will always fight to protect it.
Pro-life groups were delighted by Walker’s letter.
“Wisconsin Right to Life is very happy to hear that Governor Walker intends to sign a bill that would protect unborn children who are capable of feeling pain,” stated Heather Weininger, Executive Director of Wisconsin Right to Life. “In light of this excellent news, we urge the Wisconsin State Legislature to pass a bill to protect pain-capable unborn children as soon as possible.”
