HR 558 · 117th Congress 2021–2023, ended

Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act of 2021

Introduced Jan 28, 2021 Originated House Sponsor Debbie Lesko R-AZ

Fact sheet Spreadsheet

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.

  1. IntroducedJan 28, 2021
  2. Passed HouseNot reached
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act of 2021

This bill restricts the performance of dismemberment abortions. It defines the term dismemberment abortion.

Specifically, the bill prohibits a physician from knowingly performing a dismemberment abortion. It provides an exception for a dismemberment abortion that is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or condition.

The bill establishes criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to two years, or both—for a physician who performs a prohibited dismemberment abortion.

It also authorizes civil remedies for a woman or parent of a minor who undergoes a dismemberment abortion.

A woman who undergoes a dismemberment abortion may not be prosecuted or held civilly liable.

Cosponsors 56

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jan 28, 2021 to Mar 24, 2022; 25 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
R-WVAlexander X. MooneyOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-AZAndy BiggsOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-TXBrian BabinOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-UTChris StewartOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-CODoug LambornOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-ALGary J. PalmerOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-WIGlenn GrothmanOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-SCJeff DuncanOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-INJim BanksOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-GAJody B. HiceOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-SCJoe WilsonOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-PAJohn JoyceOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-FLMatt GaetzOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-LAMike JohnsonOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-PAMike KellyOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-SCRalph NormanOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-TXRandy K. Weber, Sr.OriginalJan 28, 2021
R-GARick W. AllenOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-OHRobert E. LattaOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-TXRon WrightOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-TXRonny JacksonOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-OHSteve ChabotOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-NCTed BuddOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-FLW. Gregory SteubeOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-NMYvette HerrellOriginalJan 28, 2021
R-NJChristopher H. SmithFeb 2, 2021
R-PAFred KellerFeb 2, 2021
R-INJames R. BairdFeb 2, 2021
R-TNJohn W. RoseFeb 2, 2021
R-TXPete SessionsFeb 2, 2021
R-LASteve ScaliseFeb 2, 2021
R-MSMichael GuestFeb 3, 2021
R-NCGregory F. MurphyFeb 5, 2021
R-VABob GoodApr 20, 2021
R-LAJulia LetlowApr 21, 2021
R-OHBob GibbsJul 29, 2021
R-WVDavid B. McKinleyJul 29, 2021
R-MSSteven M. PalazzoJul 29, 2021
R-ARBruce WestermanJul 30, 2021
R-GAEarl L. "Buddy" CarterJul 30, 2021
R-AZPaul A. GosarJul 30, 2021
R-OHJim JordanAug 3, 2021
R-FLKat CammackAug 3, 2021
R-NCMadison CawthornAug 6, 2021
R-OHBrad R. WenstrupAug 10, 2021
R-ILMike BostAug 10, 2021
R-FLBrian J. MastAug 13, 2021
R-PAGuy ReschenthalerAug 20, 2021
R-ALBarry MooreAug 31, 2021
R-TXJake EllzeyMar 7, 2022
R-IAMariannette Miller-MeeksMar 7, 2022
R-TXTony GonzalesMar 7, 2022
R-SCWilliam R. Timmons IVMar 7, 2022
R-FLScott FranklinMar 17, 2022
R-NYChris JacobsMar 24, 2022
R-OKMarkwayne MullinMar 24, 2022

Committees 1

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

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
HouseJudiciary Committee
Referred Jan 28, 2021
Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee
Referred Mar 5, 2021

Actions 3

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Mar 5, 2021Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
  2. Jan 28, 2021Introduced in House
  3. 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: Congress has the authority to protect unborn children under the Supreme Court's Commerce Clause precedents and under the Constitution's grants of power 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 2

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

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
HR 862Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act of 2023Reintroduced BillFeb 7, 2023
HR 956Saving Children ActReintroduction ofMar 22, 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 dismemberment abortions, and for other purposes.
Short Title(s) as Introduced
Dismemberment Abortion Ban 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.

  1. 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.