Senator Brooks Responds to Pa. Governor Wolf's Veto of Senate Bill 3 ( Ban on Dismemberment Abortion)

Sen. Michele Brooks (R-Crawford County), sponsor of Senate Bill 3, responded to the governor’s veto with the following statement:

“I am extremely disappointed with the Governor’s veto and the misinformation that opponents have spread about the bill. But my greatest disappointment is that we will be unable to protect so many babies in the future, who will never know the joy of living in this world.

One of the biggest myths about this bill is that it would ban all D and E procedures; it would not.

The people who say this legislation is ‘radical’ and ‘cruel’ are the same people who believe it is acceptable to tear the arms and legs off a six-month-old baby in utero. That’s cruel and radical. I find it radical and cruel for the governor to protect someone on death row who could have raped and murdered women, but pulling a baby apart limb from limb is somehow acceptable, and they are innocent.

After talking to doctors, they have confirmed that testing can be done at 17 or 18 weeks of the pregnancy, thus providing mothers and fathers with the medical information they need to make informed choices.

Thanks to the latest advances in technology, a baby can survive outside the womb much earlier than 24 weeks. Our laws must now catch up with science. Rolling back the legal age of viability from 24 to 20 weeks updates the law to reflect the latest advancements in fetal and maternal medicine.

I’ve spoken with doctors who agree with this legislation and say testing can be done at 18 weeks and before.

It is important to argue about facts, and not merely parrot the talking points of Planned Parenthood.

My prayers are with the governor that one day his heart will soften and he will understand how horrific the dismemberment abortion procedure is.”