HR 36 · 115th Congress 2017–2019, ended

Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

Introduced Jan 3, 2017 Originated House Sponsor Trent Franks R-AZ

Latest action · Oct 4, 2017 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

IntroducedJan 3, 2017
Passed HouseOct 3, 2017
Passed SenateNot reached
To the PresidentNot reached
Became lawNot reached

Summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

(Sec. 3) This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus is 20 weeks or more.

A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both.

The bill provides exceptions for an abortion: (1) that is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. A physician who performs or attempts to perform an abortion under an exception must comply with specified requirements.

A woman who undergoes a prohibited abortion may not be prosecuted for violating or conspiring to violate the provisions of this bill.

A woman who undergoes an abortion or attempted abortion may file a civil action for damages against an individual who violates the provisions of this bill.

Recorded votes 2

Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.

Roll call	Question	Result	Date
House 549	On Passage	Passed237–189	Oct 3, 2017

House 548	On Motion to Recommit with Instructions	Failed187–238	Oct 3, 2017

Cosponsors 182

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jan 10, 2017 to Oct 2, 2017.

Seat	Cosponsor	Signed on
R-WV	Alexander X. Mooney	Jan 10, 2017
R-MD	Andy Harris	Jan 10, 2017
R-MO	Ann Wagner	Jan 10, 2017
R-TX	Bill Flores	Jan 10, 2017
R-MI	Bill Huizenga	Jan 10, 2017
R-OH	Bill Johnson	Jan 10, 2017
R-MO	Blaine Luetkemeyer	Jan 10, 2017
R-TX	Blake Farenthold	Jan 10, 2017
R-OH	Bob Gibbs	Jan 10, 2017
R-VA	Bob Goodlatte	Jan 10, 2017
R-OH	Brad R. Wenstrup	Jan 10, 2017
R-AL	Bradley Byrne	Jan 10, 2017
R-KY	Brett Guthrie	Jan 10, 2017
R-NJ	Christopher H. Smith	Jan 10, 2017
R-OH	David P. Joyce	Jan 10, 2017
R-NC	David Rouzer	Jan 10, 2017
R-TN	Diane Black	Jan 10, 2017
R-AL	Gary J. Palmer	Jan 10, 2017
R-WI	Glenn Grothman	Jan 10, 2017
R-FL	Gus M. Bilirakis	Jan 10, 2017
R-VA	H. Morgan Griffith	Jan 10, 2017
R-MO	Jason Smith	Jan 10, 2017
R-SC	Jeff Duncan	Jan 10, 2017
R-IN	Jim Banks	Jan 10, 2017
R-OK	Jim Bridenstine	Jan 10, 2017
R-MI	John R. Moolenaar	Jan 10, 2017
R-IL	John Shimkus	Jan 10, 2017
R-PA	Keith J. Rothfus	Jan 10, 2017
R-TX	Kenny Marchant	Jan 10, 2017
R-PA	Lou Barletta	Jan 10, 2017
R-TX	Louie Gohmert	Jan 10, 2017
R-IN	Luke Messer	Jan 10, 2017
R-KS	Lynn Jenkins	Jan 10, 2017
R-OK	Markwayne Mullin	Jan 10, 2017
R-TN	Marsha Blackburn	Jan 10, 2017
R-UT	Mia B. Love	Jan 10, 2017
R-IL	Mike Bost	Jan 10, 2017
R-PA	Mike Kelly	Jan 10, 2017
R-AL	Mike Rogers	Jan 10, 2017
R-OH	Patrick J. Tiberi	Jan 10, 2017
R-AZ	Paul A. Gosar	Jan 10, 2017
R-TX	Pete Olson	Jan 10, 2017
R-IL	Peter J. Roskam	Jan 10, 2017
R-LA	Ralph Lee Abraham	Jan 10, 2017
R-AL	Robert B. Aderholt	Jan 10, 2017
R-OH	Robert E. Latta	Jan 10, 2017
R-NC	Robert Pittenger	Jan 10, 2017
R-MO	Sam Graves	Jan 10, 2017
R-WI	Sean P. Duffy	Jan 10, 2017
R-OH	Steve Chabot	Jan 10, 2017
R-IA	Steve King	Jan 10, 2017
R-TX	Ted Poe	Jan 10, 2017
R-MI	Tim Walberg	Jan 10, 2017
R-MS	Trent Kelly	Jan 10, 2017
R-NC	Virginia Foxx	Jan 10, 2017
R-NC	Walter B. Jones	Jan 10, 2017
R-OH	Warren Davidson	Jan 10, 2017
R-TX	Brian Babin	Jan 13, 2017
R-UT	Chris Stewart	Jan 13, 2017
R-GA	Doug Collins	Jan 13, 2017
R-CO	Doug Lamborn	Jan 13, 2017
R-AR	J. French Hill	Jan 13, 2017
R-GA	Jody B. Hice	Jan 13, 2017
R-SC	Joe Wilson	Jan 13, 2017
I-MI	Justin Amash	Jan 13, 2017
R-ND	Kevin Cramer	Jan 13, 2017
R-KS	Kevin Yoder	Jan 13, 2017
R-IN	Larry Bucshon	Jan 13, 2017
R-VA	Robert J. Wittman	Jan 13, 2017
R-TX	Sam Johnson	Jan 13, 2017
R-LA	Steve Scalise	Jan 13, 2017
R-MS	Steven M. Palazzo	Jan 13, 2017
R-IN	Todd Rokita	Jan 13, 2017
R-MN	Tom Emmer	Jan 13, 2017
R-CA	Duncan Hunter	Jan 24, 2017
R-OH	Jim Jordan	Jan 24, 2017
R-TX	John Ratcliffe	Jan 24, 2017
R-TX	Kevin Brady	Jan 24, 2017
R-OH	Michael R. Turner	Jan 24, 2017
R-KS	Roger Marshall	Jan 24, 2017
R-FL	Ted S. Yoho	Jan 24, 2017
R-GA	A. Drew Ferguson IV	Feb 7, 2017
R-NE	Adrian Smith	Feb 7, 2017
R-KY	Andy Barr	Feb 7, 2017
R-PA	Bill Shuster	Feb 7, 2017
R-IN	Jackie Walorski	Feb 7, 2017
I-MI	Paul Mitchell	Feb 7, 2017
R-KY	Thomas Massie	Feb 7, 2017
R-PA	Tim Murphy	Feb 7, 2017
R-TN	David P. Roe	Feb 16, 2017
R-TX	K. Michael Conaway	Feb 16, 2017
R-GA	Rick W. Allen	Feb 16, 2017
R-AL	Martha Roby	Mar 1, 2017
R-NE	Don Bacon	Mar 8, 2017
R-MO	Vicky Hartzler	Mar 8, 2017
R-AZ	Andy Biggs	Mar 13, 2017
D-IL	Daniel Lipinski	Mar 13, 2017
R-TN	Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann	Mar 16, 2017
R-IL	Randy Hultgren	Mar 16, 2017
R-NY	Chris Collins	Apr 3, 2017
R-TX	Jodey C. Arrington	Apr 3, 2017
R-FL	Daniel Webster	Apr 17, 2017
R-TX	John R. Carter	Apr 17, 2017
R-NC	Mark Walker	Apr 25, 2017
R-IA	Rod Blum	Apr 25, 2017
R-TX	Randy K. Weber, Sr.	May 1, 2017
R-FL	Matt Gaetz	May 2, 2017
D-MN	Collin C. Peterson	May 3, 2017
R-NC	Mark Meadows	May 3, 2017
R-MI	Jack Bergman	May 4, 2017
R-NC	Richard Hudson	May 4, 2017
R-WY	Liz Cheney	May 16, 2017
R-CO	Ken Buck	May 22, 2017
R-MI	Mike Bishop	May 23, 2017
R-WV	David B. McKinley	Jun 6, 2017
R-IL	Rodney Davis	Jun 6, 2017
R-TN	David Kustoff	Jun 8, 2017
R-TX	John Abney Culberson	Jun 21, 2017
R-NC	Ted Budd	Jun 21, 2017
R-IN	Trey Hollingsworth	Jun 21, 2017
R-PA	Glenn Thompson	Jul 11, 2017
R-FL	Neal P. Dunn	Jul 11, 2017
R-SD	Kristi L. Noem	Jul 13, 2017
R-NC	Patrick T. McHenry	Jul 17, 2017
R-GA	Earl L. "Buddy" Carter	Jul 25, 2017
R-TX	Jeb Hensarling	Aug 8, 2017
R-AL	Mo Brooks	Aug 8, 2017
R-AR	Bruce Westerman	Aug 29, 2017
R-AZ	David Schweikert	Aug 29, 2017
R-AR	Eric A. "Rick" Crawford	Aug 29, 2017
R-TX	Pete Sessions	Aug 29, 2017
R-ID	Raul R. Labrador	Aug 29, 2017
R-UT	Rob Bishop	Aug 29, 2017
R-TX	Roger Williams	Aug 29, 2017
R-AR	Steve Womack	Aug 29, 2017
R-PA	Tom Marino	Aug 29, 2017
R-MO	Billy Long	Sep 6, 2017
R-IL	Darin LaHood	Sep 6, 2017
R-WA	Jaime Herrera Beutler	Sep 6, 2017
R-GA	Rob Woodall	Sep 6, 2017
R-NY	Claudia Tenney	Sep 7, 2017
R-NE	Jeff Fortenberry	Sep 8, 2017
R-PA	Lloyd Smucker	Sep 8, 2017
R-PA	Scott Perry	Sep 8, 2017
R-GA	Barry Loudermilk	Sep 12, 2017
R-LA	Clay Higgins	Sep 12, 2017
R-FL	Francis Rooney	Sep 12, 2017
R-OH	James B. Renacci	Sep 14, 2017
R-SC	Ralph Norman	Sep 14, 2017
R-NM	Stevan Pearce	Sep 14, 2017
R-MS	Gregg Harper	Sep 18, 2017
R-TX	Lamar Smith	Sep 18, 2017
R-WV	Evan H. Jenkins	Sep 25, 2017
R-NC	George Holding	Sep 25, 2017
R-LA	Mike Johnson	Sep 25, 2017
R-OK	Steve Russell	Sep 25, 2017
R-SC	Tom Rice	Sep 25, 2017
R-SC	Trey Gowdy	Sep 25, 2017
R-GA	Austin Scott	Sep 26, 2017
R-VA	Dave Brat	Sep 26, 2017
R-TN	John J. Duncan, Jr.	Sep 26, 2017
R-GA	Karen C. Handel	Sep 26, 2017
R-NY	Lee M. Zeldin	Sep 26, 2017
R-TX	Michael T. McCaul	Sep 26, 2017
R-KS	Ron Estes	Sep 26, 2017
R-OH	Steve Stivers	Sep 26, 2017
R-GA	Tom Graves	Sep 26, 2017
R-TX	Michael C. Burgess	Sep 27, 2017
R-FL	Thomas J. Rooney	Sep 27, 2017
R-CA	Paul Cook	Sep 28, 2017
R-IA	David Young	Oct 2, 2017
R-FL	Dennis A. Ross	Oct 2, 2017
R-CA	Doug LaMalfa	Oct 2, 2017
R-OK	Frank D. Lucas	Oct 2, 2017
R-KY	Harold Rogers	Oct 2, 2017
R-TX	Joe Barton	Oct 2, 2017
R-FL	John H. Rutherford	Oct 2, 2017
R-ID	Michael K. Simpson	Oct 2, 2017
R-TN	Scott DesJarlais	Oct 2, 2017
R-VA	Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.	Oct 2, 2017
R-OK	Tom Cole	Oct 2, 2017
R-CA	Tom McClintock	Oct 2, 2017

Committees 2

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

Chamber	Committee	What it did
House	Judiciary Committee	Referred Jan 3, 2017
	Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee	Referred Jan 12, 2017
Senate	Judiciary Committee	Referred Oct 4, 2017

Actions 16

Everything that happened, newest first.

Oct 4, 2017Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Oct 3, 2017Rule H. Res. 548 passed House.
Oct 3, 2017Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 548. (consideration: CR H7712-7728)
Oct 3, 2017Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 36 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments.
Oct 3, 2017DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 36.

Show all 16 actions

In the Congressional Record 10

Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.

Where	In the Record	Members	Date
House	Debate and remarks H572, H575	Claudia Tenney R-NY, Steve King R-IA	Jan 19, 2018
House	Debate and remarks H480	Glenn Thompson R-PA	Jan 18, 2018
House	Debate and remarks H464–H466, H468	Evan H. Jenkins R-WV, Garret Graves R-LA, Jim Banks R-IN, Lloyd Smucker R-PA	Jan 17, 2018
House	Debate and remarks H8430	Jody B. Hice R-GA, Ken Buck R-CO	Nov 2, 2017
House	Debate and remarks H7884	Thomas A. Garrett, Jr. R-VA	Oct 5, 2017

Show all 10 days

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Congressional Budget Office cost estimate

Oct 3, 2017H.R. 36, Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection ActAs introduced in the Committee on the Judiciary on January 3, 2017

Constitutional authority

Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Congress has authority to extend protection to pain-capable unborn children under the Supreme Court's Commerce Clause precedents and under the Constitution's grants of powers to Congress under the Equal Protection, Due Process, and Enforcement Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment.

The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 163, no. 1, January 3, 2017, page H47.

Printed hearings 2

Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.

Number	Hearing	Committee	Held
Serial No. 115-84	IRAQ AND SYRIA GENOCIDE EMERGENCY RELIEF AND ACCOUNTABILITY82 pages	Foreign Affairs Committee	Oct 3, 2017
S. Hrg. 115-228	NOMINATION OF TOM PRICE TO SERVE AS SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES117 pages	Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee	Jan 18, 2017

CRS reports 1

Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.

Cite it 1

Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.

Product	Title	Kind	Published
R45161	Abortion At or Over 20 Weeks’ Gestation: Frequently Asked Questions	Report	Apr 30, 2018

Related bills 3

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

Bill	Title	Relationship	Latest action
HRES 548	Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 36) to amend title 18, United States Code, to protect pain-capable unborn children, and for other purposes.	Procedurally related	Oct 3, 2017
S 1922	Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act	Related bill	Oct 5, 2017
S 2311	Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act	Related bill	Jan 29, 2018

Titles 3

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced: To amend title 18, United States Code, to protect pain-capable unborn children, and for other purposes.
Short Titles as Introduced: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
Short Titles as Passed House: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement.

Text 3

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.