The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill by a 228 to 196 vote that prohibits women from having abortions 20 weeks after conception making it a crime punishable by prison to terminate a pregnancy after that period.
Opponents of the bill took issue with its exceptions and argued that it interferes with a woman’s constitutionally protected right to have an abortion. In fact, the bill directly challenges the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe vs. Wade, which protects the right to end a pregnancy up until the fetus is viable outside the womb around the 24 weeks period.
