National Republican African American Caucus chair, and Tennessee Congressional candidate, Dr. Jean Howard-Hill says, after seeing how the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and Republican presidential candidates ignored and failed to understand the importance of women within the reproductive debate, if elected to Congress, she will introduce a bill titled Pre- Marital Sexual Intercourse and Prevention of the Termination of Pregnancy Act, also referred to as [The RIP Act - Reckless and Irresponsible Penis Legislation].
The feisty and outspoken NRAAC chair and congressional candidate who is known for mincing no words says, "Hopefully this bill will bring attention to the need for gender equity and participation of women on issues that affect them, and help to see just how ridiculous it is to dare have this discussion without the presence and input of women."
Howard-Hill is no stranger to family and women's issues and was actively involved in Welfare Reform. Prior to serving as the NRAAC national chair Howard-Hill, also headed the National Black Republican Women Organization from 1987 to 1999. She says having women at the table at all levels of government is important when it comes to issues that impact the family and women, and that the involvement of women in the reproductive debate is even more crucial.
"Because the conversation on contraception and life has become almost totally centered on placing the burden and responsibility on women, it is no more than fair that women of all races and ethnicities across the country be involved."
She also points out why you would be hard pressed to find a majority of women who are in support of abortions.
"Biologically women are birthers and find the ability to give birth one of the highest honors bestowed upon them as women. It is an honorable role to be a mother, and instinctively a mother will protect what is inside of them until it is born and even to the grave. But women also are faced with those unfortunate situations where they may find themselves with that decision because of rape, molestation, incest, threat to their own lives, and even untimely pregnancies. It is these times when they need to be a participant in making that choice."
She says over the past three years or more, in informally speaking with Republican women across the country, the majority of whom were white with some Hispanic and Black, she would estimate around 98 percent of those women did not favor having an abortion. But on the question if women should be the ones who make that choice, around 87 percent believed that choice should be left to them, especially if the father was not in the picture or there was a threat to the life of either mother or child. In those cases where it was a forced pregnancy, i.e., rape, molestation and incest women were more strongly advocates of having the right to make that choice.
"What this says is that for women, abortion is not a casual or easy decision to make. It is one that is painful, conflicting with the human nature of a woman to give birth - one which requires much prayer and counsel first with one's self, one's GOD and with family - sometimes even with those in pastoral or spiritual leadership. So to have it seem that women are just out there killing babies is insensitive and is giving the wrong impression."
She also says that the findings indicate that Republican women seem to be "going along on this issue, just to get along."
According to Howard-Hill, "The majority of Republican women, while being okay with informally talking about this, were not willing to be involved in a formal survey. Even informally, they were hesitant to talk about this without some assurances that their honest responses would not come back to haunt them or make them sound liberal. Most were afraid that giving their personal position on this issue would go against the grain of the party, causing them to be a political outcast. Very few had no concerns at all and felt free to voice their opinions. There also were those who felt a termination of pregnancy under any circumstances was unacceptable and should be legally prohibited. For this group, they had no fear of giving their opinions. I realized then that in part, it was fear that caused them not to be willing to participate and to have deep concerns about the consequences of them giving honest answers."
Howard-Hill says that after seeing this, as a congressional hopeful, she felt it was time for someone to break the silence.
"Seeing the need to get Republican women in a position where their opinions and input on issues are recognized and allowed without repercussion is important not just on reproductive issues, but on all issues."
She says women by nature tend to be quilt-makers, while men are more one team vs the other in how they decision issues. But that the Republican Party is also their party and when Republican women are afraid or hesitant to speak out on issues in which they may differ, this is not the individual freedom we pride ourselves as a party of having.
"You cannot have women in the Republican Party afraid to speak out and voice their concerns and opinions. Yes it is a good-ole-boy's party, but there also are women who are the legs and arms that get things done and the male leadership majority elected. Women give both muscle and life to the party and have earned the right to be at the table at all levels."
She says that it is time for Republican women to be both involved and respected for the expertise they bring to the table, not just on reproductive issues, but on economic, educational, social, energy, environmental, and even foreign issues as well.
As a way of getting men in general and particularly 2012 presidential candidates, male members of Congress and Republican men to begin that thought process and to be more responsible and aware of the role they play in the debate, she says that as a Republican congresswoman, she would introduce and seek bipartisan support from women across the country for The Pre-Marital Sexual Intercourse and Prevention of the Termination of Pregnancy Act, also referred to as [RIP - The Reckless and Irresponsible Penis Legislation]. Recently she also challenged this same group of men to take a "Male Purity Test", which is intended to get men to understand the role and responsibility they should take in the abortion issue in preventing unwanted and untimely pregnancies.
Howard-Hill says, the RIP bill would address the abortion issue whether pro-life or pro-choice by preventing unwanted and untimely pregnancies, in that it places the decision and the responsibility on the male as to whether a girl or woman gets pregnant. If the male is responsible and does not engage in sexual intercourse prior to marriage, this almost would totally alleviate the abortion issue.
"Women have had to carry the burden of the choice to either give birth or terminate pregnancy - either way there are grave emotional consequences. Even the choice to give birth has economic and emotional consequences. This is especially traumatic in cases of rape, sexual molestation of a minor, and incest. This also is true when it comes to giving up a child for adoption. The RIP Act would shift some of that burden on the father of the child and force sexual responsibility in preventing pregnancies that may result in termination. It is only fair that if men want to drive the reproductive debate that they also should carry a heavier burden and responsibility of preventing pregnancies that result in termination or adoption. It also is one way to get men to wake up and smell what's not in the coffee - women. If men find The RIP Act to be ridiculous, hopefully it also will help them to see just how ridiculous it is to exclude women from having a say in this debate."
The bill would read as follows:
The Pre- Marital Sexual Intercourse and Prevention of the Termination of Pregnancy Act
[The Reckless and Irresponsible Penis Legislation]
This Act honors the dignity and respect due to girls and women and the right not to have their bodies violated as a result of the reckless and irresponsible acts of boys and men that lead to unsolicited and unwanted pregnancies, and upon its enforcement is intended to greatly reduce the number of abortions in America, by preserving the most precious gift a woman has been created with, which is the gift of the ability to give birth.
This Act further recognizes that the personal decision of terminating a pregnancy is not one which is taken lightly by females, and that the emotional impact on girls and women who are faced with this decision, as well as the emotional and personal impact of undergoing the procedure to terminate, and the aftermath that follows the termination, forces females to undue emotional trauma. Because of this, said Act is intended to prevent the emotional trauma to girls and women as a result of the termination of pregnancy, that result from any present or future threats to unborn fetuses as a result of the sexually reckless and irresponsible acts of boys and men that result in unwanted and untimely pregnancies or the termination of the fetus.
Understanding the causational link that leads to unwanted pregnancy and pregnancy as a result of rape, sexual molestation of a minor, incest, undue male pressure to engage in pre-marital sexual intercourse, and sexual infidelity of a male who is legally married and engages in sexual intercourse, it is vital to the emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical welfare of girls and women to prevent those pregnancies which may result in abortions.
In as much as there is a biological causation between the male and female reproductive act of sexual intercourse that leads to unwanted pregnancy and pregnancy which is as a result of rape, sexual molestation of a minor, incest, undue male pressure to engage in pre-marital sexual intercourse, and sexual infidelity of a male who has used his sexual reproductive organs, namely his penis and sperm to impregnate any girl or woman shall be held liable as follows:
Any act performed by a boy or male as the result of rape, sexual molestation of a minor and incest, that results in an abortion, shall be construed as a criminal offense so horrifically in violation of the woman's dignity and right to be respected, as well as her right to have her body un-violated, which breaches her productive choice as to when and by whom she should give birth, shall constitute an egregious criminal offense punishable under federal law by medical castration of the penis. [Medical castration shall mean, the removal of the penis, leaving the testicles intact, thus preventing the possibility of re-offending.]
Any act performed by a boy or male as the result of male pressuring to engage in sexual intercourse that results in an abortion, shall be construed as a criminal offense in violation of the woman's body and shall constitute a criminal act of manslaughter, punishable under federal law by imprisonment of his sexual organs (the penis) by the wearing of a chastity restraint that prevents sexual intercourse that shall be worn upon the first offense 5 to 10 years; upon the second offense 10 to 15 years; and upon the third offense for life. As an alternative sentence, said offense shall be punishable under federal law by imprisonment upon the first offense to 5 to 10 years; upon the second offense 7 to 15 years; and upon the third offense life in prison without parole. A second alternative sentence shall include the offender being required to undergo a successful vasectomy to prevent further ability to produce offspring.
Any consensual sexual act performed by a male who is legally married and engages in sexual intercourse with a girl or woman that results in an abortion, shall be construed as a criminal offense of manslaughter in violation of the fidelity of the marital covenant and shall constitute a criminal act of manslaughter, punishable under federal law by imprisonment of his sexual organs (the penis) by the wearing of a chastity restraint that prevents sexual intercourse that shall be worn upon the first offense 5 to 10 years; upon the second offense 7 to 15 years; and upon the third offense for life. As an alternative sentence, said offense shall be punishable under federal law by imprisonment upon the first offense to 5 to 10 years; upon the second offense 7 to 15 years; and upon the third offense life in prison without parole. A second alternative sentence shall include the offender being required to undergo a successful vasectomy to prevent further ability to produce offspring.
Any consensual sexual act between a boy or male and a girl or woman that results in pregnancy, wherein the boy or male abandons the impregnated girl or woman without the benefit of marriage or refuses to enter into a marital covenant with the girl or woman, and because of said abandonment, the girl or woman is forced to terminate the pregnancy, shall constitute a criminal act of manslaughter, punishable under federal law by imprisonment of his sexual organs (the penis) by the wearing of a chastity restraint that prevents sexual intercourse that shall be worn upon the first offense 5 to 10 years; upon the second offense 3 to 5 years; and upon the third offense for life. As an alternative sentence, said offense shall be punishable under federal law by imprisonment upon the first offense to 5 to 7 years; upon the second offense 7 to 10 years; and upon the third offense life in prison without parole. A second alternative sentence shall include the offender being required to undergo a successful vasectomy to prevent further ability to produce offspring.
Any boy or man, who has caused a pregnancy as a result of rape, sexual molestation of a minor and incest, or male pressuring to engage in sexual intercourse or consensual sexual act performed by a male who is legally married and engages in sexual intercourse, shall be either required by law to adopt the infant child or shall be legally responsible for any and all expenses of the girl or woman related to the unwanted pregnancies, including pre-natal, delivery and post-natal cost for both mother and child, living expenses during pregnancy and up to the 18th birthday of the child, as well as compensation to the mother in the amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00), should the girl or woman impregnated choose to have the child.
This Act allows for exceptions where there is a medical need for the termination of the pregnancy within marriage, based upon threat to the life of the mother or unborn child. This bill is not intended to include pregnancy or termination of pregnancy within any legally binding marital covenant.
This Act prohibits the use of Viagra or any other form of erection assisted drugs, which because of the probability of adding to the length and time of sexual activity of boys and men increases sexual intercourse outside of the marriage. Use of said drugs shall be punishable under federal law by imprisonment upon the first offense to 5 to 7 years; upon the second offense 7 to 10 years; and upon the third offense life in prison without parole. This shall not include the use of Viagra or any other form of erection assisted drugs when engaged in marital sexual intercourse.
This Act prohibits any boy or man from undergoing a vasectomy or any other medical procedure for the purpose of preventing his ability to impregnate and create offspring, and shall be punishable under federal law by 5 to 7 years. This shall not be applicable to vasectomies or other medical procedure which shall be used as a punishment for sexual offenses within this Act.
This Act shall grandfather in all offenses covered by this bill from 1912 to the time of enactment.
