GOP Women Stymie 20-Week Abortion Ban Plans Some time ago, Republican leadership in the House of Representatives scheduled a vote for a bill that would ban abortion in the United States after 20 weeks gestation, the time at which science assures us a baby in the womb can feel the pain of being ripped apart during the procedure. (Probably before as well, but science hasnt confirmed that.) The only exceptions for the ban would be in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. GOP leadership carefully selected January 22, 2015 for the vote, which would merely be a reconfirmation of a bill that passed with overwhelming support once before. The date is the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision Roe vs. Wade that sparked two generations of arguments, research, and laws regarding both legalizing and outlawing induced abortion in the United States. Last night, on the eve of the long awaited vote, Republican leadership shelved the bill for now due to concerns raised behind closed doors from GOP women representatives of a reporting requirement, meaning that the exemption of the ban for victims of rape or incest would only apply if the woman reported the crime to police. The two specific GOP women named in reports of the closed door meetings are Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Renee Ellmers of North Carolina. Ladies, without the reporting provision, anyone can cry rape. Think about it. The main concern for the women of the House GOP was the potential backlash in messaging that the Democratic spin machine would generate in whipping up righteous indignation among Americans who havent thought about the issue very thoroughly. The specific constituency mentioned that might be put off by the legislation is millennials. (Shall I list the number of my friends who put their teenagers on buses this week to go Washington for the March for Life today?) The reality, though, is that young people support abortion curtailment far more than older people do. To say that the strongly pro-life contingent in the House is disappointed is an understatement. Im utterly stunned, one lawmaker is reported to have said. So are the millions of Americans who believe that a 20-week abortion ban with very strict exceptions is good for women in that not only will there be prosecution of men who commit the crimes of rape, and incest, but that the women who would be persuaded to have their babies killed so late in a pregnancy would be spared the mental anguish and trauma for years following the event. A 20-week abortion ban such as the one shelved last night due to the uncertainty of some GOP women is publicly supported at a rate of 2:1. The measure is by no means dead. There is another bill coming to the floor of the House today that would ban federal funds from paying for the procedure, but this was really a fumble based on nothing. 