Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) introduced a bill today that would make it illegal to obtain an abortion because of gender preference.
The Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act would authorize civil actions by fathers and maternal grandparents and would provide civil remedies to women who are intimidated, manipulated, or forced into receiving such an abortion.
The legislation, which has 26 co-sponsors, would require medical and mental health professionals to report suspicion or knowledge of an abortion based on gender preference.
“It’s flat out morally wrong to assign different values to unborn babies’ lives based on gender, but believe it or not, it happens,” said Vitter. “We should have zero tolerance for this kind of discrimination.”
The senator cited a 2009 study in the American Economic Journal that said over the span of 13 years at least 2,000 Asian American baby girls were lost in the U.S. to gender discrimination abortions.
Rep. Trent Franks’ (R-Ariz.) sex-selective abortions legislation, brought to the House floor two weeks ago on a suspension of the rules, failed to reach the necessary two-thirds majority vote.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member