The U.S. House of Representatives failed to muster the “super-majority” needed to pass the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act, H.R. 6099.

Though the bill had the support of a 250-162 majority, because it was brought to the floor according to so-called “fast track” rules, it needed support of two-thirds of the legislators in order to pass the House.

The bill would have required abortionists to tell their patients about fetal development and the capacity of preborn children to feel pain. It also would have required doctors to offer pain-reducing drugs for preborn children—all with the ultimate goal of convincing women not to proceed with their abortions.

The measure was sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who called it “common-sense legislation.”

However, even some pro-lifers like Flip Benham, of Operation Save America, and Paul Schenck, of the National Pro-Life Action Center, opposed the legislation. Schenck’s organization released a statement that said of the bill, “While calling attention to the humanity of the child targeted for abortion, it equally sent the intolerable message that you can legally kill the child—just consider anesthetizing her before you do it.”

–EP News