Bill Text: PA HR121 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Recognizing April 2011 as "Abortion Recovery Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 17-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-09 - Referred to RULES [HR121 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HR121-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 1059
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 121 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY KAUFFMAN, ROCK, AUMENT, BAKER, BENNINGHOFF, BOYD, CUTLER, ELLIS, LONGIETTI, OBERLANDER, PYLE, QUINN, RAPP, REICHLEY, ROAE, SAINATO, SCAVELLO AND GABLER, MARCH 9, 2011
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, MARCH 9, 2011
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing April 2011 as "Abortion Recovery Awareness Month" in
Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, There are many excellent abortion recovery programs
both in Pennsylvania and the United States and groups promoting
abortion recovery awareness, such as Abortion Recovery
InterNational, Inc. (ARIN), which is the founding organization
for "Abortion Recovery Awareness Month"; and
WHEREAS, The purpose of "Abortion Recovery Awareness Month"
is to encourage and promote healing opportunities and to
enlighten society to the aftermath of abortion on individuals
and families; and
WHEREAS, On April 18, 2007, the United States Supreme Court
stated in Gonzalez v. Carhart, upholding the Federal "Partial
Birth Abortion Ban," that "...some women come to regret their
choice to abort the infant life they once created and
sustained...severe depression and loss of esteem can follow,"
thereby giving "hope for life" because for the first time since
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1973 the court upheld a ban on an abortion procedure; and
WHEREAS, The conclusion that there is a causal connection
between abortion and negative problems and injuries is supported
by three independent sources of evidence: (a) The
self-attribution of women themselves of their injuries,
(b) Mental health professionals who have successfully diagnosed
and treated post-abortion reaction, and (c) Statistically
validated medical studies controlling for a large number of
confounding factors which have been published in peer-reviewed
journals, both nationally and internationally; and
WHEREAS, The Supreme Court was influenced by and referred to
a brief filed on behalf of Sandra Cano, the former "Doe" of Doe
v. Bolton, who also wants to overturn her case, which brief was
cited by the court and the portion referenced was the testimony
of women hurt by abortion; and
WHEREAS, The United States 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, on
June 27, 2008, followed the Supreme Court, specifically citing
that portion of Gonzalez v. Carhart referencing the women's
testimony, and upheld a South Dakota law requiring women be
informed before their abortion that abortion terminates the
"life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being" and of a
"description of all known medical risks of the procedure and
statistically significant risk factors to which the pregnant
woman would be subjected, including: Depression and related
psychological distress; and increased risk of suicide ideation
and suicide"; and
WHEREAS, On March 14, 2008, the British Royal Academy of
Psychiatrists stated: "Healthcare professionals who assess or
refer women who are requesting an abortion should assess for
mental disorder and for risk factors that may be associated with
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its subsequent development. If a mental disorder or risk factors
are identified, there should be a clearly identified care
pathway whereby the mental health needs of the woman and her
significant others may be met. The Royal College of
Psychiatrists recognizes that good practice in relation to
abortion will include informed consent. Consent cannot be
informed without the provision of adequate and appropriate
information regarding the possible risks and benefits to
physical and mental health." The statement followed the suicide
of a woman after an abortion and clearly signals that the
international psychiatric community is aware of the problem and
seeking to address it; and
WHEREAS, Norma McCorvey, who is the former "Roe" of Roe v.
Wade, now regrets her participation in that decision and greatly
desires to protect women from the harm of abortion; and
WHEREAS, It is important and helpful to the women of this
great Commonwealth to recognize April 2011 as "Abortion Recovery
Awareness Month," and, as the Supreme Court in Gonzalez v.
Carhart also stated that the court could find "no reliable data
to measure the phenomenon" of women hurt by abortion, it is
important for women hurt by abortion to come forth and receive
the help they need and warn others of the risks and pain of
abortion; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize April
2011 as "Abortion Recovery Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania and
encourage citizens to discuss, evaluate and promote awareness of
the harms and risks of abortion.
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