July 26, 2006 -- Senate Passes Bill Restricting Out-of-State Teen Abortion

The United States Senate yesterday passed legislation that makes it a federal crime for a person other than a parent to transport a minor across state lines for the purpose of obtaining an abortion, if the minor’s home state has a parental consent or notification law. During lengthy debate on the bill, S. 403, the Senate agreed to one amendment and rejected another. In a narrow limitation on parental rights, the Senate approved an amendment to "punish incestuous fathers" by imposing fines and imprisonment on any father who has "committed an act of incest" with a minor and then transports the minor across a state line for the purpose of obtaining an abortion. On the only other amendment proposed, the Senate rejected on a party-line vote a proposal to provide $100 million to localities for comprehensive sex education programs that would include information about contraception. The Senate bill does not mention whether the ban on interstate transportation for abortion applies if the health of a pregnant minor is at stake, a point on which state abortion bills have been found unconstitutional, but it does allow a minor to ask a court for permission for an interstate abortion without parental consent. Before the legislation passed yesterday can go to President Bush for signature, the Senate must confer with the House of Representatives, which passed a similar but not identical bill more than a year ago.