The Iowa State Capitol yesterday experienced its own marathon session in defense of life. Congressmen in the state House of Representatives and Senate approved in special session a law that prohibits abortion from the moment a fetal heartbeat is detected (around the sixth week). The bill is now on the desk of Governor Kim Reynolds, one of the initiators of the initiative.
Tonight the Iowa legislature has passed — for a second time and by wider margins—legislation to protect life and end abortion at a heartbeat.
The voices of the unborn and their elected representatives will not be silenced any longer!
Congrats to the Iowa House and Senate! pic.twitter.com/DEI2tVwNqR
— Kim Reynolds (@KimReynoldsIA) July 12, 2023
"The lives of the unborn will not be silenced any longer"
"Today, the Iowa legislature has once again voted to protect lives by ending abortion at the moment of the heartbeat," said a visibly satisfied Reynolds. In a tweet, she congratulated the General Assembly for having approved "for the second time and by a wider margin" this bill. "The voices of the unborn and their elected representatives will not be silenced any longer."
Abortion is currently legal in this state up to 20 weeks. Several pro-abortion and pro-life organizations had tense moments inside the Capitol while the text was being debated and voted on. The rule was strongly criticized by Democratic legislators, who claim that at that stage of pregnancy many women will not even be aware that they are pregnant.
The heartbeat, indicator of the beginning and end of life
The bill includes exceptions for rape (if reported within 45 days) or incest (reported within 140 days). Nor will it be punishable in the case of spontaneous abortions, if the mother's life is in danger, or if fetal anomalies considered by a physician to be "incompatible with life" are detected.
From the Republican bench, several of the speakers pointed out that "When a life is determined to be over when a heartbeat ends, then why would a life not begin when a heartbeat is detected?"
“When a life is determined to be over when a heartbeat ends, then why would a life not begin when a heartbeat is detected?” pic.twitter.com/Jj210iLpzw
— Iowa Senate GOP (@IASenateGOP) July 12, 2023
Ramaswamy attended the voting
Candidate to represent the GOP in the upcoming presidential election Vivek Ramaswamy attended the session and congratulated the conservative congressmen for their defense of life. Ramaswamy passed through the groups demonstrating at the Capitol entrance, a moment captured in a video he uploaded to his Twitter account.
The democratic process is messy for the same reason it’s beautiful. Live from the Iowa State Capitol on a historic day. Proud of @KimReynoldsIA and the Iowa legislature for protecting life. pic.twitter.com/2hNOuaj8Wz
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 11, 2023
