Politics

Republicans Launch Last-Ditch Attempt To Protect Babies Who Survive Abortion

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Republicans gathered on Capitol Hill late Tuesday morning to announce their discharge petition to force a full House vote on the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act that has been repeatedly nixed by Democrats in Congress.

Physicians, abortion survivors and members of Students For Life joined House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, Republican Missouri Rep. Ann Wagner and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy at the news conference Tuesday to call for the protection of newborns who survive abortion.

With #prolife physicians on the Hill to educate Representatives about the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act discharge petition being filed today. #letusvote #endinfanticide pic.twitter.com/Xfly06RTBg

— Susan B. Anthony List (@SBAList) April 2, 2019

Republican Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney and abortion survivors Melissa Ohden, Claire Culwell and Gianna Jessen were also in attendance.

Today I am in Washington, DC to meet with members of the U.S. House of Representatives and urge them to sign the Discharge Petition for the Born Alive Abortion Survivor Protection Act.… https://t.co/or9ISGGQnC

— Claire Culwell (@claireculwell) April 2, 2019

Republicans will sign the discharge petition, H. Res. 102, — requiring 218 signatures — Tuesday afternoon in order to bypass Democrats’ continual refusal to consent to a vote on the bill. The move comes after dozens of rejected requests for a vote by Democrats. Scalise and Wagner first introduced the petition in February.

The petition will permit the House to vote with only an absolute majority.

The Born Alive Survivors Protection Act aims to ensure babies who survive abortion will be cared for after they are born by codifying that health care professionals must provide care to newborns who survive abortion. Physicians who violate the provision would face fines and prison time under the measure.

You deserve to know: Where does your representative stand on stopping infanticide? I’m filing a discharge petition TODAY to bypass Pelosi & force every member to go on record & tell the American people EXACTLY where they stand on this barbaric practice. #LetUsVote #EndInfanticide pic.twitter.com/n2Zr8TYEm6

— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) April 2, 2019

“Only about half of states have laws on the books that mandate physicians provide medical care in cases of an infant born alive after at attempted abortion, and protections that do exist for these babies are at risk, as we have seen in New York, Rhode Island and other states,” March for Life President Jeanne Mancini said in a Tuesday statement, according to a press release.

“Current federal law does not adequately protect a born child who survives an abortion and does not currently ensure that child will receive the same degree of professional skill and care to protect the newborn as would be offered to any other child born alive at the same developmental age,” Americans United For Life President Catherine Glenn Foster also said in a Tuesday statement.

House Democrats rejected the 20th request from Republicans less than a week ago for unanimous consent to vote on the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.

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