A hearing held this week in Pennsylvania demonstrated the extent to which the pro-abortion side is willing to go in order to expand abortion up to the moment of birth. The Democratic chair of the PA House Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 1888, an extreme proposed constitutional amendment which would eliminate legal protections for preborn babies, minor girls, and women.
It is noteworthy that the committee denied a rabbi the opportunity to speak against the bill, citing rules which permit only one opposition testifier at a public hearing.
The opposition witness was attorney Elizabeth Kirk, whose perceptive remarks led one state lawmaker to describe her as a “rock star.” Kirk observed that the comprehensive legislation could potentially compromise legal protections for infants who survive childbirth in the state of Pennsylvania. Furthermore, minors could also have an “absolute right to abortion,” which would negate the current parental consent provisions. Additionally, she observed that, should the Amendment be enacted, it would give rise to a substantial and costly body of litigation.
Furthermore, the Amendment would also eliminate protections against abortion for unborn children in the later stages of pregnancy. It should be noted that Pennsylvania law does offer an exception for the life of the mother and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.
In essence, the bill would effectively legalize the termination of pregnancies in the state of Pennsylvania. At one juncture, the minority chair, Republican Rob Kauffman, displayed a fetal model representing an unborn infant at 22 weeks gestational age. The fully-formed model displayed the typical appendages of a human fetus, including arms, legs, fingers, and toes. In a further observation, Representative Kauffman noted that, during his formative years, the prevailing sentiment was that abortion should be “safe, legal, and rare.” However, he asserted that this was no longer the case for abortion advocates.
In order for a proposed constitutional amendment to be placed on the ballot, it must first be passed by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the state Senate in two consecutive sessions. The optimal time to thwart the passage of this ill-conceived legislation is at this moment, before it gains any momentum.
It is recommended that those residing in the state of Pennsylvania contact their state lawmakers and urge them to oppose House Bill 1888. An immediate message can be sent via the following link: https://oneclickpolitics.global.ssl.fastly.net/promo/4p8.
Chelsea Garcia is a political writer with a special interest in international relations and social issues. Events surrounding the war in Ukraine and the war in Israel are a major focus for political journalists. But as a former local reporter, she is also interested in national politics.
Chelsea Garcia studied media, communication and political science in Texas, USA, and learned the journalistic trade during an internship at a daily newspaper. In addition to her political writing, she is pursuing a master's degree in multimedia and writing at Texas.
