House Republicans Have Re-Introduced ‘Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act’
Pro-life House members, led by Rep. Steve Scalise, Rep. Ann Wagner and the newly elected Rep. Kat Cammack, have once again filed a discharge petition trying to get congressional leadership to finally vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which has been languishing for years. This bill would force abortionists to provide life-saving care to preborn babies that are born alive after a failed abortion.
“Protecting newborn babies is about basic decency,” Whip Scalise said. “I am proud to file this discharge petition today with Representatives Wagener and Cammack and join my fellow House Republicans in making it clear that abortion survivors ought to have the same rights under the law as any other baby entering the world. As lawmakers, we swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. All life is sacred and must be treated as such. Tragically, Speaker Pelosi and her far-left caucus will not uphold the most basic right—the right to life—or defend newborn babies from being killed by abortionists. We will not stand by as she blocks this critical legislation from coming to the floor.”
Also known as H.R. 619, the bill is simple. It requires that “if an abortion results in the live birth of an infant, the infant is a legal person for all purposes under the laws of the United States and entitled to all protections of such laws.” In the event that a medical professional doesn’t offer that simple protection, then he or she would be punished for “intentionally killing or attempting to kill a human being.”
In order to pressure pro-abortion politicians to vote on this issue, House members who advocate for life introduced a discharge petition, which is “used in the House of Representatives that starts a process to force a bill out of committee and to the House floor for a vote.” To succeed, the petition needs 218 signatures. It currently has 204.
Pro-life politicians have been fighting for this bill for years, but the issue became especially urgent after Gov. Ralph Northam of Virginia essentially advocated for the infanticide of babies with disabilities in a 2019 radio interview, which came on the heels of New York’s decision to basically allow abortion up until the moment of birth.
This sparked outrage in the pro-life community and encouraged politicians to take up this important cause of protecting babies who are struggling for life after a failed abortion.
As an abortion procedure in the later months of pregnancy has a higher risk of failure and is more likely to result in the birth of a living child, protections like the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act are necessary in order to ensure that every baby receives care.
For Rep. Cammack, this law is deeply personal. Cammack’s mother was encouraged by family members and doctors to abort her, because she experienced severe complications during her first pregnancy.
But she didn’t.
“My mom chose life, which was very difficult for my family,” Cammack shared in an interview with Fox News. “For her to make that choice against the advice of her doctors and against the urging of her own family, that’s pretty powerful. So for me, that’s why I am personally pro-life.”
In a more official statement, Cammack said, “Today’s discharge petition symbolizes our commitment to protecting the sanctity of life for all Americans, including the most vulnerable among us. For too long, Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats have demonstrated their disregard for this most basic right and it’s time we show the American people where their representatives stand on this critical issue. I’m proud to stand alongside Whip Scalise and Rep. Wagner in declaring the value of life once and for all.”
As pro-abortion politicians currently control the House, it will be difficult to get all the necessary signatures. But that’s not going to stop the passionate pro-life advocates from continuing to bring this important and simple piece of legislation to the forefront.
Photo from Shutterstock
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brittany Raymer serves as a policy analyst at Focus on the Family, researching and writing about abortion, assisted suicide, bioethics and a variety of other issues involving the sanctity of human life and broader social issues. She regularly contributes articles to The Daily Citizen and has written op-eds published in The Christian Post and The Washington Examiner. Previously, Raymer worked at Samaritan’s Purse in several roles involving research, social media and web content management. While there, she also contributed research for congressional testimonies and assisted with the Ebola crisis response. Raymer earned a bachelor of arts in history at Seattle Pacific University and completed a master’s degree in history at Liberty University in Virginia. She lives in Colorado Springs with her beloved Yorkie-Poo, Pippa.
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