Human Life Amendment
The Human Life Amendment is the name of multiple proposals to
These amendments are sponsored or supported by United States anti-abortion movements and opposed by the United States abortion rights movement. As of August 2022[update], none of these proposals have succeeded though Roe v. Wade was overturned in full by the Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization in 2022.
History of the Human Life Amendment
A number of Human Life Amendments have been proposed in Congress since 1973, with 20 total days of hearings before the
The Hogan Amendment
Introduced by Rep. Lawrence Hogan (R-MD) on January 30, 1973, under H.J.Res. 261.
Section 1. Neither the United States nor any State shall deprive any human being, from the moment of conception, of life without due process of law; nor deny to any human being, from the moment of conception, within its jurisdiction, the equal protection of the laws.
Section 2. Neither the United States nor any State shall deprive any human being of life on account of illness, age, or incapacity.
Section 3. Congress and the several States shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
The Whitehurst Amendment
Introduced by
Section 1. Nothing in this Constitution shall bar any State or territory or the District of Columbia, with regard to any area over which it has jurisdiction, from allowing, regulating, or prohibiting the practice of abortion.
The Burke Amendment
Introduced by James Burke (D-MA) on September 12, 1973, under H.J.Res. 769.
Section 1. With respect to the right to life, the word 'person,' as used in this article and in the fifth and fourteenth articles of amendment to the Constitution of the United States, applies to all human beings, including their unborn offspring at every stage of their biological development, irrespective of age, health, function, or condition of dependency.
Section 2. No abortion shall be performed by any person except under and in conformance with law permitting an abortion to be performed only in an emergency when a reasonable medical certainty exists that the continuation of pregnancy will cause the death of the mother and requiring that person to make every reasonable effort, in keeping with good medical practice, to preserve the life of her unborn offspring.
Section 3. The Congress and the several States shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation within their respective jurisdictions.
Scott Amendment
Introduced by Sen. William Scott (R-VA) on June 6, 1975, under S.J.Res. 91.
The power to regulate the circumstances under which pregnancy may be terminated is reserved to the states.
The Paramount Amendment
Introduced by Rep. Romano Mazzoli (D-KY) on April 5, 1979, under H.J.Res. 294.
The paramount right to life is vested in each human being from the moment of fertilization without regard to age, health, or condition of dependency.
Hatch Amendment
Introduced by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) on September 21, 1981, under S.J.Res. 110.
A right to abortion is not secured by this Constitution. The Congress and the several States shall have the concurrent power to restrict and prohibit abortions: Provided, That a law of a State which is more restrictive than a law of Congress shall govern.
The Hatch-Eagleton Amendment
Introduced by Sen. Orrin Hatch and
See also
References
Citations
- ^ "S.J.Res.3 - A joint resolution to amend the Constitution to establish legislative authority in Congress and the States with respect to abortion". Congress.gov. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
Sources
- "Human Life Amendment Highlights: United States Congress (1973-2003)" (PDF). National Committee for a Human Life Amendment. Retrieved 2006-08-22.
- "Human Life Amendments: 1973-2003" (PDF). National Committee for a Human Life Amendment. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2006-08-22.
- "Texts of Major Human Life Amendments Introduced in Congress" (PDF). National Committee for a Human Life Amendment. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2006-08-20.
External links
- National Committee for a Human Life Amendment
- The Human Life Bill, Senate hearings, 1982, 1124 pages, (Google Books)