Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
| Date | Chamber | What was voted on | Result | Yes–No | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3, 2017 | House · vote #549 | On Passage | Passed | 237–189 | See who voted → |
| Oct 3, 2017 | House · vote #548 | On Motion to Recommit with Instructions | Failed | 187–238 | See who voted → |
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(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
(Sec. 3) This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus is 20 weeks or more.
A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both.
The bill provides exceptions for an abortion: (1) that is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. A physician who performs or attempts to perform an abortion under an exception must comply with specified requirements.
A woman who undergoes a prohibited abortion may not be prosecuted for violating or conspiring to violate the provisions of this bill.
A woman who undergoes an abortion or attempted abortion may file a civil action for damages against an individual who violates the provisions of this bill.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Engrossed in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
- Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
- Referred in Senate Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Cite this page
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 36: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-36/
"H.R. 36: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-36/.
H.R. 36, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-36/.
[H.R. 36: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-36/)