Republicans in the Iowa House have voted for a 72-hour waiting period before women seeking an abortion in the state may have the procedure performed. In addition, women seeking an abortion in Iowa would have to have an ultrasound and be given an opportunity to look at it. “I stand in support….because seeing is believing.” That’s Representative Greg Heartsill, a Republican from Columbia. Republican Representative Sandy Salmon of Janesville says the House G-O-P’s plan also asks that the woman be given the option of listening to a heartbeat, if one can be detected.

“This will shine the light upon what is really inside the womb of the mother,” Salmon says. Salmon and her Republican colleagues have voted to require that a woman seeking an abortion be given information that encourages her to consider the option of adoption instead. “To help a woman consider and make a good, educated decision for herself and her baby,” Salmon said, “totally appropriate for the life-and-death decision she is making.” All the Democrats in the Iowa House voted against these new abortion restrictions. Representative Amy Nielsen is a Democrat from North Liberty.

“I believe that passing this legislation tells the roughly 1.6 million women in Iowa that they are not intelligent enough to make health care decisions for themselves,” Nielsen says. “What medical decisions do we require a man to take 72 hours to consider before he is allowed to receive the treatment?” Representative Liz Bennett, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, also spoke out against the proposals.

“Let’s keep the scaly tentacles of government out of women’s wombs,” Bennett said. In mid-March, the Iowa Senate voted to ban abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy. That prohibition was at the core of the legislation debated last (Tuesday) night, however the bill was tabled shortly after 10:30 p.m. and no final vote has been taken in the House.

(Radio Iowa)