Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL) has introduced a bill banning dismemberment abortion procedures, a practice she calls "sadistic" and "gruesome."
Specifically, Rep. Cammack's Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act targets dilation and evacuation procedures, which involve dilating the cervix and uterus and then removing the fetus via a vacuum-like device, and the doctor may use forceps if necessary.
The procedure is typically done 14 to 27 weeks in a pregnancy, which Rep. Cammack says is unregulated at the federal level, since the only banned procedure is partial-birth abortion.
As a result, not only will the Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act ban the procedure, but it will also punish doctors who perform it with fines or two years in prison, with the scope clearly limited and defined, while also ensuring women who undergo the procedure are not prosecuted.
"Under our current system, abortion procedures exist in a legal gray area with no federal standards and no accountability," Cammack said in a press release. "Providers can perform inhumane extraction methods and face zero consequences. That ends now. This bill sets a clear federal standard that holds providers accountable, protects the dignity of all life, and ensures women are protected, not prosecuted."
Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD), who is introducing the Senate version of the bill, added that "every life is a precious gift from God and should be treated with dignity."
"Dismemberment abortions are among the most brutal methods of abortion, accounting for around 80% of second-trimester abortions," Sen. Rounds continued. "Our legislation would make performing a dismemberment abortion a criminal offense, with the doctor or health care provider who performs it liable to fines and up to two years in prison."
Last week, Representative Brandon Gill (R-TX) went viral for grilling American University Senior Scholar Jessica Waters on what her "favorite" abortion method was, describing procedures, including the dilation and evacuation method, in detail.
Waters said she stood by her prior testimony and tried to redirect the discussion to the FACE Act. Rep. Gill asked why she didn't want to talk about "abortion itself" if she was an advocate.
"It's uncomfortable to hear about this," Rep. Gill said. "Because it's barbaric and evil."
