Republican Rep. Lance Gooden of Texas asked for unanimous consent Wednesday for the House to consider a vote on the Born-Alive legislation that would protect babies who survive abortion.
For the 22nd time, House Democrats rejected a vote on H.R. 962, a bill that would require an infant who is born alive following an attempted abortion to receive the same form of prompt transfer to a hospital and medical attention any other child would be given.
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana, and Republican Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri introduced the bill on February 6 and Scalia intends to file a discharge petition that may be signed by other House members when it becomes active on April 2 if no action is taken by Democrat leaders. When a majority of members sign onto the discharge petition, it will force a vote on the Born-Alive legislation.
“This is the 24th time in total that Congressional Democrats thwarted an attempt by Republicans to vote on a bill that would provide medical care and treatment for babies who provide survived failed abortions — 22 times in the House and twice in the Senate,” observed pro-life media LifeNews.
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said in a statement that “providing health care to babies born alive is an issue that should receive unanimous support, regardless of your position on abortion.”
“By continuing to block this commonsense legislation, Democratic leadership in the House is essentially giving the green light to infanticide,” he added. “There is no practice more barbaric than killing babies that could survive if given care.”
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy tweeted on March 25:
In February Senate Democrats voted against the Born-Alive legislation introduced in that chamber by Nebraska Republican Sen. Ben Sasse. The bill failed as a result since it required a 60-vote supermajority for approval and Republicans could only obtain 53 votes for it.
“The silence from Congressional Democrats is deafening and shameful,” Scalise said upon the introduction of the legislation. “Every Member of Congress, regardless of party, needs to go on record against infanticide, and we must immediately take action to stop it. The American people deserve to know where their representatives stand on this critical issue.”
Perkins said America is at “a moment of decision.”
“Whether or not we will allow infanticide – the murder of a baby who survives the first attempt on their life – has become a defining issue for us as a nation,” he said.