Sanctity of Human Life Act of 2013 (H.R. 23)

HR 23 would give constitutional rights to fertilized eggs, embryos, fetuses, and clones. It would ban abortion with no exception for rape, incest, or to save the life of the woman or girl. It would also ban birth control pills, IUDs, and emergency contraception. In addition, it would have eliminated certain medical choices for women, including some cancer treatments and in vitro fertilization. Unlike the Life at Conception Act, the Sanctity of Human Life Act does not state that the law shall not require prosecution of a woman “for the death of her own child,” and therefore might have lead to investigation and prosecution of women who miscarry to determine if their own actions caused the death of the fetus.

The Sanctity of Human Life Act declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human, and is a person’s paramount and most fundamental right. The Act further states that each human life begins with fertilization, cloning, or its functional equivalent, irrespective of sex, health, function or disability, defect, stage of biological development, or condition of dependency.

STATUS

This bill is introduced year after year and fails year after year.

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