House Democrats joined together to block a Republican amendment to a bill that would have required the same medical care to infants who survive abortion as that given to newborns of the same age who are born prematurely.
Democrats, with the exception of Reps. Dan Lipinski (IL); Ben McAdams (UT); and Collin Peterson (MN), voted against Republicans’ Motion to Recommit, 220-187, which is the last chance the minority party has to propose an amendment to a bill.
Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI) also voted with Republicans on the amendment offered by GOP Reps. Greg Walden (OR) and Ann Wagner (MO). Of Republican members of the House, 14 did not vote, while eight Democrats also failed to vote on the legislation.
The measure states:
Any health care practitioner present at the time the child is born alive shall:
(A) exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care practitioner would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age; and
(B) following the exercise of skill, care, and diligence required under subparagraph (A), ensure that the child born alive is immediately transported and admitted to a hospital.
On Tuesday, the Senate also failed to garner the 60 votes needed to pass both the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, introduced by Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) – which corresponds to the House Republicans’ amendment – and the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would ban abortion in the United States past the 20th week of pregnancy.
The United States is one of only seven countries in the world that permit elective abortion past 20 weeks of pregnancy. The other nations are: Canada, China, Netherlands, North Korea, Singapore, and Viet Nam.
Democrat Sens. Bob Casey (PA), Doug Jones (AL), and Joe Manchin (WVA) voted with Republicans for the Born-Alive measure, while Republican Sens. Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) voted with Democrats against the Pain-Capable bill.
“This week congressional Democrats stood firmly behind the party’s presidential candidates in supporting abortion-on-demand, up until the moment of birth, and even supporting infanticide,” said Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser.
“Americans of all political stripes are disgusted by this extreme, inhumane position and we are confident that will be reflected at the ballot box this November,” Dannenfelser added.
President Donald Trump has said he will sign both the Born-Alive and Pain-Capable measures into law if passed by Congress.
“It is national Democrats – from the party’s leading presidential contenders to Nancy Pelosi – who stand squarely in the way of protecting these innocent children from being left to die,” the Dannenfelser asserted.
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