H.R. 5269 — Introduced in House

I 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5269 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 17, 2016 Mr. Mooney of West Virginia introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend title 18, United States Code, to criminalize knowingly destroying, without the written consent of each progenitor, a living human embryo created through the process of in vitro fertilization, and for other purposes. 1. Short Title This Act may be cited as the Protection for Progeny Act of 2016. 2. Protection of living human embryos (a) In general Chapter 90A of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 1842. Protection of living human embryos (a) Offense Whoever, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, knowingly destroys a living human embryo that was created through the process of in vitro fertilization and that was destroyed without the written consent of each progenitor of such embryo shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 6 months, or both. (b) Exception for progenitor A progenitor of the embryo that is destroyed may not be prosecuted under this section. (c) Exception for implantation A person may not be prosecuted under this section if the destruction of the embryo occurred during or after an attempt to implant such embryo. (d) Progenitor The term progenitor means any individual who provides an egg or a sperm cell from which an embryo is created. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 90A of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: Sec. 1842. Protection of living human embryos. . 3. Effective date The amendments made by this Act shall take effect 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.