Citing Gosnell trial, senators propose abortion resolution
(CNN) - Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah introduced a resolution Monday, calling on the Senate to review "public policies" following the trial of abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell, who's charged with killing four babies.
"Congress and States should gather information about and correct abusive, unsanitary, and illegal abortion practices and the interstate referral of women and girls to facilities engaged in dangerous or illegal second- and third-trimester procedures," states the resolution.
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The resolution has 10 Republican co-sponsors, including Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas, Tim Scott of South Carolina and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
Gosnell, 72, is accused of killing the infants by using scissors to cut their spinal cords. Authorities allege that some of the infants were born alive and viable during the sixth, seventh and eighth months of pregnancy.
Jurors in the Philadelphia murder trial ended their sixth day of deliberations Tuesday, but they have not given a verdict.
"The facts of the Gosnell case are disturbing and heartbreaking," Lee said in a statement. "It should be a wake-up call to all Americans. The lack of oversight at abortion facilities puts women's lives at risk and leads to the kind of unconscionable practices we have seen recently."
Lee, who was elected to the Senate in 2010, plans to formally introduce a bill this week that would outlaw abortions in Washington, D.C. after the 20th week after fertilization, the time period at which the resolution argues an unborn child can feel pain.
Abortion was legalized in all 50 states in 1973 by the U.S. Supreme Court. Statutory time limits on when abortions can take place, however, vary from state to state.
- CNN's Sarah Hoye contributed to this report.
Also see:
White House: Obama can't take position on Gosnell trial
Obama: 'Planned Parenthood is not going anywhere'
As a woman, I do not understand why the NAF, Planned Parenthood, and other women's groups are against ensuring that these abortion clinics are safe and clean. All the discussion I have read have so many comments that imply that regulating the sanitary standards of a MEDICAL clinic is somehow out of bounds when it comes to the issue of abortion. And Gosnell's clinic is not the only one that has been identified as lacking in basic sanitary procedures. There have been numerous ones in many states.
I do not believe that most providers are the monster that Gosnell is purported to be, but making sure that these clinics are well staffed, have the proper life-saving equipment for emergencies on hand and making sure that they are sanitary do not compromise ANYONE'S right to choose. This should be one area that both the "pro-life" and the "pro-choice" crowds can agree on.
22 school shootings in 10 years and the GOP says "we must not over react". One abortion "doctor" violates the law and suddenly everything needs examined. Once again the GOP shows it will got to the wall for the rights of zygotes, but once born its fine for you to be fodder for a lunatic with a gun.
Sick, sick individuals.
So it's ok to politicize one nut case performing late term abortions but it's not ok to politicize a dozen nut cases performing after term abortions (killing school children) with firearms?
I don't understand this.
About time cnn reports on this horrific story.
Where is the bengahzi cover up story ?
I feel compelled to point out a few differences between legislation regarding abortion and legislation regarding gun control.
1) The Second Amendment. There is no right to abortion as there is a right to keep and bear arms, and even if there were, I seriously doubt that it would be protected by the phrase "shall not be infringed."
2) Guns and abortions both kill, but the legal use of a gun either does not injure a human being (hunting, target shooting) or injures/kills someone who put the shooter in fear for his/her life or that of his/her family. Legal abortions kill a human being who has done nothing wrong.
In both cases we need better enforcement of the laws on the books. In both cases we need to defend innocent human life. If you look at the actual text of the proposal reproduced in this article, that is exactly what it sets out to do.
Guest
Perhaps one day, before his impending impeachment, oblabla will ...............
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the wet dream of Guest and all his tightie rightie friends. Too bad they'll be holding their own again as this will never go anywhere near what they want
Not sure what they are accusing him of. The women came to have their babies killed. he offered the services requested. He may have done it in or outside the womb. He may have done it at that time or a few months earlier. What difference does it make? The problem is abortion proponents are uncomfortable with the reality of what they believe and prefer to have it in ways that they find comfortable. You may hang a man or put him on a chair. Kill is all you have done. I am a black democrat who raised a child my sixteen year old sister almost aborted. She is now a beautiful young woman hoping to go to med school one day. I absolutely believe in freedom of choice. I just don't believe you should be free to coat your choice into something it is not.
Did we read the same article? I believe they want to stop "abusive, unsanitary, and illegal abortion practices", not stop abortion. What is wrong with that?
@Ferret,
Deal with the doctor who violated the law, don't try to continuously change the law....
Deal with the criminal Newtown shooter, don't try to continuously change the law....
Ands please, cover your mouth, before you spew the koolaid. There are background check for gun shows and internet sales. The only ones there aren't for are criminals and there are already laws for that. How about we enforce those.
@Liberal
Pro-choice should never be at the expense of another human being.
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And yet pro-lifers (as they call themselves) don't mind taking the life of doctors that perform legitimate medical procedures. Go figure.
Shame on the media for not covering this story. This man had his own holocaust going on there and no coverage of this story? Yet you have covered Jody Arias ad nauseam really?
My party = baby killers and I'm ashamed to be associated with them in this matter.