HR 555 · 117th Congress 2021–2023, ended

Protecting the Dignity of Unborn Children Act of 2021

Introduced Jan 28, 2021 Originated House Sponsor Robert E. Latta R-OH

Latest action · Mar 5, 2021 Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

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 28, 2021
Passed HouseNot reached
Passed SenateNot reached
To the PresidentNot reached
Became lawNot reached

Summary

Protecting the Dignity of Unborn Children Act of 2021

This bill establishes a new criminal offense for recklessly disposing of or abandoning fetal remains in a landfill or in any navigable waters of the United States.

The term fetal remains means any part (except a cremated part) of a deceased human fetus following an abortion.

A violator is subject to a fine, up to three years in prison, or both.

Cosponsors 34

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jan 28, 2021 to Jun 24, 2021; 32 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

Seat	Cosponsor		Signed on
R-WV	Alexander X. Mooney	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-MD	Andy Harris	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-AL	Barry Moore	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-MO	Blaine Luetkemeyer	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-TX	Brian Babin	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-AZ	Debbie Lesko	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-CA	Doug LaMalfa	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-WI	Glenn Grothman	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-KY	Harold Rogers	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-KS	Jake LaTurner	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-SC	Jeff Duncan	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-NE	Jeff Fortenberry	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-AL	Jerry L. Carl	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-IN	Jim Banks	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-OH	Jim Jordan	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-GA	Jody B. Hice	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-PA	John Joyce	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-CO	Lauren Boebert	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-MT	Matthew M. Rosendale, Sr.	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-MS	Michael Guest	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-FL	Michael Waltz	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-MN	Michelle Fischbach	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-LA	Mike Johnson	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-TX	Pete Sessions	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-SC	Ralph Norman	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-GA	Rick W. Allen	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-TX	Ronny Jackson	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-NC	Ted Budd	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-MS	Trent Kelly	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-OH	Troy Balderson	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-OH	Warren Davidson	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-NM	Yvette Herrell	Original	Jan 28, 2021
R-NC	Richard Hudson		May 12, 2021
R-KS	Ron Estes		Jun 24, 2021

Committees 1

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 28, 2021
	Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee	Referred Mar 5, 2021

Actions 3

Everything that happened, newest first.

Mar 5, 2021Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Jan 28, 2021Introduced in House
Jan 28, 2021Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

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.

Constitutional authority

Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: 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. 167, no. 17, January 28, 2021, page H251.

Related bills 1

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

Bill	Title	Relationship	Latest action
HR 671	Protecting the Dignity of Unborn Children Act of 2019	Reintroduction of	Mar 4, 2019

Titles 2

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

Official Title as Introduced: To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the unlawful disposal of fetal remains, and for other purposes.
Short Title(s) as Introduced: Protecting the Dignity of Unborn Children Act of 2021

Subjects

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

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

Jan 28, 2021Introduced in House

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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.