I saw a tweet earlier from Del. David Englin that said Republicans were proposing “vaginal penetration.” Yeah…that got my attention.
Then, I just saw a press release from Virginia House and Senate Democrats on “invasive medical procedures” and the “trans-vaginal ultrasound bill.”
Needless to say, I’ve been so busy worrying about the economy, domestic energy, transportation, the budget, job creation, fixing VRS, among others, that I must admit, I had no idea what they were talking about.
But Democrats have succeeded.
They know that the only way they can justify their intransigence on fixing the economy that they have to point to a couple of socially conservative bogey-man “big government” bills to sidetrack their inability to have any other economic solution than “raise taxes.”
So, I’ll indulge them.
Their big beef is with HB 462 – Kathy Byron and Mark Cole’s ultrasound bill. As they say in the biz, let’s look at the facts.
Here is the text of the proposed change to law:
B. Except in the case of a medical emergency, at least 24 hours before the performance of an abortion a qualified medical professional trained in sonography and working under the direct supervision of a physician licensed in the Commonwealth shall perform fetal ultrasound imaging and auscultation of fetal heart tone services on the patient undergoing the abortion for the purpose of determining gestational age. If the pregnant woman lives at least 100 miles from the facility where the abortion is to be performed, the fetal ultrasound imaging and auscultation of fetal heart tone services shall be performed at least two hours before the abortion. The ultrasound image shall be made pursuant to standard medical practice in the community, contain the dimensions of the fetus, and accurately portray the presence of external members and internal organs of the fetus, if present or viewable. Determination of gestational age shall be based upon measurement of the fetus in a manner consistent with standard medical practice in the community in determining gestational age. When only the gestational sac is visible during ultrasound imaging, gestational age may be based upon measurement of the gestational sac. A print of the ultrasound image shall be made to document the measurements that have been taken to determine the gestational age of the fetus.
C. The qualified medical professional performing fetal ultrasound imaging pursuant to subsection B shall offer the woman an opportunity to view and receive a printed copy of the ultrasound image and hear auscultation of fetal heart tone and shall obtain from the woman written certification that this opportunity was offered and whether or not it was accepted and, if applicable, verification that the pregnant woman lives at least 100 miles from the facility where the abortion is to be performed. A printed copy of the ultrasound image shall be maintained in the woman’s medical record at the facility where the abortion is to be performed for the longer of (i) seven years or (ii) the extent required by applicable federal or state law.
Auscultation “is the term for listening to the internal sounds of the body,” says Wikipedia.
Also, from what very limited knowledge on this subject I have, measuring the gestational sac is done through sonogram scans.
What am I missing here? Where is the invasive procedure?
Or is this merely Democrats using hyperbolic language because they don’t want a mother to see a picture of her baby before she gets rid of it?
Once again, it appears above all else, Democrats will do and say what is necessary to get what they want – whether it’s the whole truth or not.
