Contact: J.P. Duffy or Alice Chao, 866-FRC-NEWS, 866-372-6397

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Family Research Council (FRC) praised the House passage of Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 36). This bill sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), would save over 13,000 human lives each year. This bill would prohibit brutal abortions on unborn babies after 5 months post-fertilization, because they feel excruciating pain as they are ripped apart in the womb.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said of the vote:

"I applaud the House passage of a bill to protect against late abortion of unborn children since they can feel excruciating pain by 20 weeks after fertilization. Unborn children at this age are routinely given anesthesia during prenatal surgery, we know these babies recoil when prodded without anesthesia, and their pain receptors are developed enough to feel pain. This legislation conforms federal abortion law to modern science.

"Now with a pro-life president in the White House, it's heartening to see the country move beyond the outdated Roe v. Wade science of the '70s. Ignoring modern science is harmful to unborn children, since we know babies can also survive as early as 22 weeks after gestation. The horrific pain for these unborn children being ripped apart limb by limb must be stopped.

"Convicted murderer Dr. Kermit Gosnell's house of horrors shows we must stop late abortion. He was convicted of murdering babies born alive but also of 21 counts of illegal late abortions after 24 weeks in violation of state law. Yet many states continue to allow these brutal late abortions through the ninth month.

"The only difference between killing a baby born alive and aborting them just prior to birth is location. Human dignity is not dependent upon location. We should not be one of only seven countries in the world, along with North Korea, China, and Vietnam that have legalized abortion on demand after 5 months of development.

"The House was right to prevent painful abortions on unborn babies, and we call on the Senate to bring up the bill and pass it as well. Congress should enact legal protections for pain-capable unborn children to stop those like Gosnell who continue to dissect these unborn children apart. We urge the Senate to follow the House's lead and send this bill to President Trump so he can sign this life affirming legislation into law," concluded Perkins.