Republican Senators Introduce Bill to Ensure Dignified Burial of Aborted Babies

A group of Republican senators introduced legislation Friday that would ensure dignified burials for aborted babies.

Republican Sens. Mike Braun (IN), Todd Young (IN), Steve Daines (MT), John Cornyn (TX), Rick Scott (FL), Joni Ernst (IA), Marsha Blackburn (TN), Roger Wicker (MS), Cindy Hyde-Smith (MS), Thom Tillis (NC), Jim Inhofe (OK), and Ted Cruz (TX) introduced a bill that would “enforce guidelines for the dignified handling of aborted fetal remains and penalties for failing to respect the sanctity of human life,” a press release said.

The Dignity for Aborted Children Act (S.2950) would require abortion providers to dispose of the remains of unborn children in the same way as any other human being. Failure to do so could draw a fine and up to five years in prison.

Additionally, the bill would require a consent form that indicates the mother may choose to keep possession of her unborn baby or allow the provider to cremate or bury him or her. Providers who fail to execute the forms and the mother’s wishes could be punished with civil penalties.

The bill comes in the wake of the disturbing discovery of 2,246 aborted fetal remains found at the Illinois home of deceased Indiana abortionist Ulrich Klopfer.

Braun said in a joint statement:

The discovery of thousands of fetal remains in an Indiana abortionist’s home horrified every American who respects the sanctity of life, and highlighted a disturbing trend that Indiana has taken the lead in rectifying. All human remains, regardless of stage of life, deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and I’m proud to introduce the Dignity for Aborted Children Act to ensure that grotesque collections like Dr. Klopfer’s can’t be allowed to happen ever again.

Klopfer’s abortion clinic, Women’s Pavilion, was found to have violated the law nine times in Indiana. The notorious abortionist’s license was revoked while Vice President Mike Pence was governor of the state. In 2016, a bill Pence signed into law sought to protect the dignity of fetal remains and was upheld this year by the Supreme Court.

Pence has called for a full investigation into the discovery of the aborted bodies at Klopfer’s home.

Young and Braun have also sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr, calling for the assistance of the Department of Justice in the investigation.

“The recent discovery of over 2,200 fetal remains in the home of an Indiana abortionist proves there is a deeply disturbing problem with our current system,” Young said in the senators’ joint statement regarding the introduction of the legislation.

Daines added that an “unborn child is a precious human life.”

“Ensuring a dignified burial for aborted babies is a matter of human decency,” he said.

Ernst referred to the discovery at Klopfer’s home and his “callous disregard for human life” as “gut-wrenching news.”

“We cannot be a society that tolerates actions like Dr. Klopfer’s, and this bill will ensure the remains of all human beings, in every stage of life, get the dignity and respect they deserve,” she said.

Scott called Klopfer’s actions “utterly disgusting and disrespectful to human life as a whole.”

“The dignity of human life remains unchanged regardless of a person’s age at his or her death,” said Blackburn.

“A human life—especially a child’s—is sacred,” Inhofe added. “Recently, we’ve seen disturbing cases that show us yet again that the abortion-on-demand industry has no respect for the dignity of human life. These babies deserve a proper burial.”

Susan B. Anthony List, the national pro-life organization (SBA List), applauded the legislation.

“The discovery of the remains of over 2,200 aborted children in late abortionist Ulrich Klopfer’s home was a sickening reminder of the abortion industry’s radical commitment to abortion above health, safety and basic human dignity,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, SBA List president. “While the Supreme Court has upheld Indiana’s law requiring respectful treatment of the remains of aborted babies, Illinois and many other states have no such law.”