WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – As Republicans take control of the U.S. House of Representatives, anti-abortion action becomes one of their top priorities.
For Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.), he sees the novel majority in the House of Representatives as an opportunity to re-introduce and pass on his “Life at conception‘ act. The Bill seeks to “implement the equal protection provided for in Article 14th Amendment to the Constitution, the right to life of every born and unborn human person.
“It is an obvious fact, a biological fact, that personality is established at the moment of conception. And then states will be able to decide how to regulate enforcement of pro-life laws, because enforcement is a state matter,” Mooney said.
Dr. Jennifer Villavicencio z American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists discussed the science surrounding the stage of conception in pregnancy.
“At the moment of conception, or what we call in science fertilization, it is not actually an embryo yet. This is the so-called blastocyst, which consists of several small cells, because the final development of a human being takes place through rapid cell division. And the embryonic stage doesn’t start until a few weeks later,” she said.
The Mayo Clinic explains further website. It is said that “three days after fertilization, a normally developing embryo will contain approximately six to 10 cells. On the fifth or sixth day, the fertilized egg is called: blastocyst — a rapidly dividing ball of cells. The inner group of cells will become an embryo. The outer group will become the cells that nourish and protect it.
Rep. Mooney believes that with a majority of Republicans in the House, his bill can be passed. However, in the Democrat-controlled Senate, lawmakers have already vowed to block all anti-abortion measures.
“This is a clear message to women, from MAGA Republicans to women across the country. Your body, their choice. Women’s bodies. MAGA Republicans’ choice,” Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-Senate Majority Leader) said Tuesday at a rally with lawmakers outside the U.S. Capitol. Planned Parenthood AND NARAL Pro-Choice America took part in the same rally.
Mini Timmaraju, president of NARAL, sees Mooney’s bill as a slippery slope.
“I think life begins at conception is a phrase used by far-right people to really attack issues like contraception and even fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization. So look, we know it’s not based on science. However, this rhetoric is used to refer to a much broader range of reproductive rights and services. So it’s really important for Americans to understand what this code is for. This is the code by which basic, everyday medications, such as contraception, should be used. As we know, this is the code that more and more American women are relying on to expand their families and have children: in vitro fertilization. It is very dangerous. And we will do everything in our power to block any legislative efforts that try to achieve this,” Timmaraju said.
Mooney, however, said his bill makes no mention of contraception. He said it would be up to states to decide how to enforce the measure.
“My legislation simply protects human life. Does not apply to contraception. Again, it all depends on the states. My legislation simply authorizes states to enforce and regulate commonly used abortion methods. But it defines personality at the moment of conception. This is not part of contraception,” he said.
The abortion rights debate is expected to remain a major issue in the 2024 elections.
That’s when Republican Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) plans to run for the Senate seat currently held by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
Last year, the Pew Research Center vote found that 62% of Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
Sunday would have been the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe vs. Wade, guaranteeing the right to abortion. That law was invalidated by the Supreme Court last summer and the discussion returned to the states.
