WASHINGTON, DC (CWNews.com) - A bill to be introduced in the US House of Representatives would prevent federal courts, other than the US Supreme Court, from ruling on the constitutionality of partial-birth abortion bans.

    Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, an obstetrician-gynecologist, and Rep. Richard Baker, R-Louisiana, are co-sponsors of the law based on Article 3 of the US Constitution. The measure would remove "partial-birth abortion related cases from federal claims court jurisdiction."

    Section 2 of Article 3 states, in part, "In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a State shall be a party, the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction. In all the other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions and under such regulations as the Congress shall make."

    Paul's spokesman said numerous federal courts have overturned state partial-birth abortion bans with some of those challenged to the US Supreme Court, with the high court expected to rule on them this session. The Partial Birth Abortion and Judicial Limitation Act would help define the role and jurisdiction of lower federal courts on the partial birth abortion issue, he said.