House defeats bill to ban gender-based abortions
Published May 31, 2012
FoxNews.com




Undercover Planned Parenthood video sparks outrage

Gender-based abortions ban defeated: Barbarism...

House to vote on bill banning gender-based abortions
A bill that would ban sex-selective abortions failed to muster enough support to pass the House Thursday following a contentious debate.

The final vote was 246-168. Though a majority voted in favor of the bill, this particular proposal required a two-thirds majority to pass -- supporters of the bill fell 30 votes short.

The proposal would have made it a federal crime to carry out an abortion based on the gender of the fetus. The measure takes aim at the aborting of female fetuses, a practice more common to countries such India and China, where there is a strong preference for sons, but which is also thought to take place in the U.S.

The White House and Democratic lawmakers opposed the bill out of concern that it could end up subjecting doctors to strict punishment, suggesting the law would be difficult to follow.

"The administration opposes gender discrimination in all forms, but the end result of this legislation would be to subject doctors to criminal prosecution if they fail to determine the motivations behind a very personal and private decision," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Thursday.

But GOP lawmakers pointed to the opposition as further proof of the administration's abortion advocacy.

"It is inconceivable to me how our Nobel Prize-winning president can refuse to protect little girls from the violence of sex-selection abortion," Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., said Thursday.

Bill sponsor Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., said "there has never been a more pro-abortion president in the White House ... I'm astonished the leader of the free world would fail to protect the unborn from being aborted on the basis of sex."

The mainly Republican supporters of the bill characterized the vote as a sex-discrimination issue at a time when Democrats are accusing Republicans of waging a war on women. A day before the vote, Planned Parenthood also launched an ad against GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney accusing him of planning to "deny women the right to make their own medical decisions."

The legislation would have made it a federal offense, subject to up to five years in prison, to perform, solicit funds to perform or coerce a woman into a sex-selection abortion. Bringing a woman into the country to obtain such an abortion would also be punishable by up to five years in prison.

Franks and others say there is evidence of sex-selection abortions in the United States among certain ethnic groups from countries where there is a traditional preference for sons. The bill notes that countries such as India and China, where the practice has contributed to lopsided boy-girl ratios, have enacted bans on the practice.

But the Guttmacher Institute, an organization that favors abortion rights, said evidence of sex selection in the United States is limited and inconclusive. It said that while there is census data showing some evidence of son preference among Chinese-, Indian- and Korean-American families when older children are daughters, the overall U.S. sex ratio at birth in 2005 was 105 boys to 100 girls, "squarely within biologically normal parameters."

Marcia Greenberger, co-president of the National Women's Law Center, said the bill fosters discrimination by "subjecting women from certain racial and ethnic backgrounds to additional scrutiny about their decision to terminate a pregnancy."



Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/31/debate-heats-up-over-proposal-to-ban-gender-based-abortions/#ixzz1wVSwRjkP

I am pro choice. But I somehow find it extremely distasteful to have an abortion because you don't want the gender of the baby, but if it was the opposite gender you would have it. That doesn't sit right with me.

Me neither Tyler, but it is common in other countries and now the Dems have left open the door for it to continue here .

I don't think that will ever pass, its just not something the US is going to accept. Other countries maybe, but not the US. Its pretty much split down the middle for all practical purposes on the abortion issue I think, its a moral issue for most and not political. For me "morally" its right for a woman to have a choice of what to do with her body and should not be forced to have a baby if she doesn't want to. But for most so called "Christians" its a sin and therefore morally wrong and an act of murder. Although Christians have never had a problem with murder before more people have died in the name of God than for any other reason, but suddenly they have a problem with abortions.

I agree Tyler, people don't approve of abortion,I think it should be pro choice.
I don't think the gender quote is true, especially if Fox reported,it we know how wrong they always are,sure not balanced also the dems didn't leave the door open it didn't pass it was voted down by both parties.

That looks like a legit news report to me. Fox news tells the news nothing more.

I again disagree,they contort the news to benefit the right wing.. we have had this conversation many time s, all you have to do is fact check fox,pants on fire they are in the business for entertainment,they do not show facts or news~ until i am proven wrong, I will continue to believe that.. I have shown and proven to many of their lies,look it up Fox news/ lies or truth there are even similar articles on the left right below ,about fox,oreilly and such.

You can continue to post Huffington, msnbc and others, but I only post reliable sources, no blogs nor opinions in the In The News section. Sorry Gypsy but Fox is the #1 news source in ratings. Why ?? Because they are not afraid to show both sides of the story, not afraid to expose the White House. It is high time someone told the truth. We are a nation crumbling and it has to be stopped.

that article did not state who proposed that bill !! also I do post reliable newscasters Faux is not one, it has been proven over and over.. so who proposed the bill on gender sex abortion? break it down, sleuth it!!fox never shows both sides, that is a misinformation from you,it has been proven over and over, go ahead defend fox they are in deep trouble over their lies and misinformation their popularity has dropped 28% because people are finally getting smart,,yes fox is trying to crumble so the can control the right wing propaganda~

gypsy wrote:that article did not state who proposed that bill !! also I do post reliable newscasters Faux is not one, it has been proven over and over.. so who proposed the bill on gender sex abortion? break it down, sleuth it!!fox never shows both sides, that is a misinformation from you,it has been proven over and over, go ahead defend fox they are in deep trouble over their lies and misinformation their popularity has dropped 28% because people are finally getting smart,,yes fox is trying to crumble so the can control the right wing propaganda~

ssc this is a portion of your copy/paste

The White House and Democratic lawmakers opposed the bill out of concern that it could end up subjecting doctors to strict punishment, suggesting the law would be difficult to follow.

"The administration opposes gender discrimination in all forms, but the end result of this legislation would be to subject doctors to criminal prosecution if they fail to determine the motivations behind a very personal and private decision," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Thursday.

But the Guttmacher Institute, an organization that favors abortion rights, said evidence of sex selection in the United States is limited and inconclusive. It said that while there is census data showing some evidence of son preference among Chinese-, Indian- and Korean-American families when older children are daughters, the overall U.S. sex ratio at birth in 2005 was 105 boys to 100 girls, "squarely within biologically normal parameters."

Marcia Greenberger, co-president of the National Women's Law Center, said the bill fosters discrimination by "subjecting women from certain racial and ethnic backgrounds to additional scrutiny about their decision to terminate a pregnancy."

Another point in gender abortion?? I think since republicans have an ongoing war against women,this may be their fear mongering,they always have some close to election,the administration and senate are against gender abortion!

WASHINGTON -- House Republicans provoked a fresh confrontation in the ongoing battle over women's healthcare rights, but failed Thursday to win approval for a bill designed to outlaw abortions based on gender.

The bill, aimed at families trying to avoid unwanted daughters, attracted the support of a majority of representatives, but failed because it was considered under a procedure normally used for uncontroversial measures. It needed the votes of two-thirds of the House.

Republicans hoped to force Democrats to go along with the measure or to put them in the position of having to explain why they shot down a bill Republicans said was designed to protect women. For the most part, Democrats held the party line, decrying the measure as political theater and voting against it.

Rejecting that charge, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters Thursday that Americans find abortions based on gender "pretty repulsive."

"This is an important issue to the American people," he said. "And our members feel strongly about it. That's why it's being brought to the floor."

Under the legislation, anyone who performs or pressures someone into getting an abortion based on the sex or race of the fetus would face five years in prison. Doctors and nurses who do not report suspected sex-based abortions would also face a year in prison and a fine. The woman having the abortion would be exempt from prosecution.

Republicans could attempt to pass the bill a second time on a simple majority vote.

Data on sex-selection in the U.S. is patchy, but in debate in the House before the bill passed, Republicans said it is female fetuses that are most often targeted for abortion, amounting to "gendercide" and a "war on women."

"There can be no rights for women if we don't allow them the right to life," Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-N.Y.) said in debate Wednesday.

Firing back, Democrats criticized Republicans' voting record on other women's rights initiatives, including pay equality.

"It is another Republican intrusion into a woman's right to choose," Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) said.

Women's rights groups said they oppose the practice of performing abortions based on sex, but called on Congress to do more to address discrimination against women, which they see as the root of the problem.

For cultural and economic reasons, abortion based on sex is more common in some South Asian and East Asian countries. But research by Columbia University economists Douglas Almond and Lena Edlund also found evidence of sex selection in Chinese American, Indian American and South Korean American families who had already had a daughter.

Their findings were cited in the bill, and the measure drew ire from some Asian American groups that worried it would lead to particular discrimination against Asian American women seeking abortions.

"South Asian women will have their motives scrutinized by abortion providers," a coalition of women's groups wrote to members of Congress on Tuesday. "In short, it encourages racial profiling in the doctor's office."
ian.duncan@latimes.com

Copyright © 2012, Los Angeles Times

a different view of faux http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-republican-effort-to-ban-abortions-based-on-gender-fails-in-house-20120531,0,7592480.story

couldn't comment ,because of the time frame.. proves faux was wrong

democrats ,,do not support gender abortion>>> also REPUB!! we can't fix STUPID!!

The vote to ban the gender abortions was shot down by the Dems., key word was to BAN, check the numbers, Dems didn;t vote to support the vote to BAN

gypsy wrote:Another point in gender abortion?? I think since republicans have an ongoing war against women,this may be their fear mongering,they always have some close to election,the administration and senate are against gender abortion!

A war against women is a phrase of the Liberal whacko Dems , 778,000 + jobs held by women have been lost under Obama. Who is really trying to cripple the women today ??

that isn't how you portrayed it here, you made it look like Democrats and Obama was for gender abortion..now I am through discussing with you, I will vote for Obama,instead of a cold ,out of touch with people fool ,like Romney
bring back a good republican, and I will again respect that party!

I only quoted the facts from the article, you go ahead and vote for Obama, hooray for you and job killing, national debt raising, turning us over to China !!! I will stick to Romney and common sense and trying to bring this country back under control. Now I do agree enough of this topic is enough.