HR 5032
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5032
To ensure that women seeking an abortion receive an ultrasound
and the opportunity to review the ultrasound before giving informed consent
to receive an abortion.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 17, 2008
Mr. JORDAN of Ohio (for himself, Mr. STUPAK, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey,
Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. MCHENRY, Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee, Mr.
WALBERG, Mr. SALI, Mr. WELDON of Florida, Mr. MCCARTHY of California,
Mr. HENSARLING, Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, and Mrs. BACHMANN) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To ensure that women seeking an abortion receive an ultrasound
and the opportunity to review the ultrasound before giving informed consent
to receive an abortion.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Ultrasound Informed Consent Act'.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT.
The Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
`TITLE XXX--INFORMED CONSENT
`SEC. 3001. DEFINITIONS.
`(1) ABORTION- The term `abortion' means the intentional use or prescription
of any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or device
or method to terminate the life of an unborn child, or to terminate
the pregnancy of a woman known to be pregnant with an intention other
than--
`(A) to produce a live birth and preserve the life and health of the
child after live birth; or
`(B) to remove an ectopic pregnancy, or to remove a dead unborn child
who died as the result of a spontaneous abortion, accidental trauma,
or a criminal assault on the pregnant female or her unborn child.
`(2) ABORTION PROVIDER- The term `abortion provider' means any person
legally qualified to perform an abortion under applicable Federal and
State laws.
`(3) UNBORN CHILD- The term `unborn child' means a member of the species
homo sapiens, at any stage of development prior to birth.
`(4) WOMAN- The term `woman' means a female human being whether or not
she has reached the age of majority.
`SEC. 3002. REQUIREMENT OF INFORMED CONSENT.
`(a) Requirement of Compliance by Providers- Any abortion provider in
or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, who knowingly performs any
abortion, shall comply with the requirements of this title.
`(b) Performance and Review of Ultrasound- Prior to a woman giving informed
consent to having any part of an abortion performed, the physician who
is to perform the abortion, or certified technician working in conjunction
with the physician, shall--
`(1) perform an obstetric ultrasound on the pregnant woman;
`(2) provide an explanation of the results of the ultrasound;
`(3) display the ultrasound images so that the pregnant woman may view
them; and
`(4) provide a medical description of the ultrasound images, which shall
include the dimensions of the embryo or fetus and the presence of external
members and internal organs, if present and viewable.
`(c) No Requirement To View Ultrasound Images- Nothing in this section
shall be construed to require a woman to view the ultrasound images. Neither
the physician nor the woman shall be subject to any penalty if she refuses
to look at the presented ultrasound images.
`SEC. 3003. EXCEPTION FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.
`(a) Exception- The provisions of section 3002 shall not apply to an abortion
provider in the case that the abortion is necessary to save the life of
a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness,
or physical injury, including a life-endangering physical condition caused
by or arising from the pregnancy itself.
`(1) IN GENERAL- Upon a determination by an abortion provider under
subsection (a) that an abortion is necessary to save the life of a mother,
such provider shall certify the specific medical conditions that support
such determination and include such certification in the medical file
of the pregnant woman.
`(2) FALSE STATEMENTS- An abortion provider who willfully falsifies
a certification under paragraph (1) shall be subject to all the penalties
provided for under section 3004 for failure to comply with this title.
`SEC. 3004. PENALTIES FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY.
`(a) In General- An abortion provider who willfully fails to comply with
the provisions of this title shall be subject to civil penalties in accordance
with this section in an appropriate Federal court.
`(b) Commencement of Action- The Attorney General may commence a civil
action under this section.
`(c) First Offense- Upon a finding by a court that a respondent in an
action commenced under this section has knowingly violated a provision
of this title, the court shall notify the appropriate State medical licensing
authority and shall assess a civil penalty against the respondent in an
amount not to exceed $100,000.
`(d) Second and Subsequent Offenses- Upon a finding by a court that the
respondent in an action commenced under this section has knowingly violated
a provision of this title and the respondent has been found to have knowingly
violated a provision of this title on a prior occasion, the court shall
notify the appropriate State medical licensing authority and shall assess
a civil penalty against the respondent in an amount not to exceed $250,000.
`(e) Private Right of Action- A pregnant woman upon whom an abortion has
been performed in violation of this title, or the parent or legal guardian
of such a woman if she is an unemancipated minor, may commence a civil
action against the abortion provider for any willful violation of this
title for actual and punitive damages.'.
SEC. 3. PREEMPTION.
Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this Act shall be construed
to preempt any provision of State law to the extent that such State law
establishes, implements, or continues in effect greater disclosure requirements
regarding abortion than those provided under this Act and the amendments
made by this Act.
SEC. 4. SEVERABILITY.
The provisions of this Act shall be severable. If any provision of this
Act, or any application thereof, is found unconstitutional, that finding
shall not affect any provision or application of the Act not so adjudicated.
END
