The U.S. Senate plans to hold a roll call vote on protecting infants accidentally born alive during an abortion. According to a February 14 press release issued by Senator Ben Sasse’s office, the vote will take place on February 25th. Sasse authored the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which “would protect newborns that survive botched abortions by requiring appropriate care and admission to a hospital,” according to the press release.
On February 5, Sasse had called for a “unanimous consent vote” on the bill, which was derailed by a single pro-abortion lawmaker, Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.). Murray objected, claiming, “We have laws against infanticide in this country.” While it is, of course, illegal to kill a newborn child, when it comes to abortion, the idea of consistency frequently goes out the window, so to speak. Babies have been either directly killed or left to die without any medical intervention after abortions. LifeSite News noted that “since the original Born-Alive Bill became law, undercover investigations have revealed how abortionists violate it by letting babies “expire” or by not giving them legally-mandated life-saving care when they survive a late-term abortion.”
Even though the Born Alive Infants Protection Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2002, these infants are essentially still left unprotected until penalties are attached, as well as requirements that medical care be provided. Sen. Sasse’s bill would do both. As his press release notes, “Currently, federal law does not adequately protect a born child who survives an abortion. On January 22, 2019, New York repealed protections (section 4164 of the state’s public health law) for an infant born alive during an abortion.”
READ: Planned Parenthood reportedly tells mother: We will ‘break the baby’s neck’ if he’s born alive
Data from the Centers for Disease Control proves, that babies are still born alive during abortions, as does data released by various states including Florida.
Sasse stated with regard to the upcoming vote, “A lot of Senators spend a lot of time telling people how they fight for the little guy. Well, here’s the chance for them to prove it. We’re going to have a vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act and everyone is going to have to put their name by their vote.” He added, “It’s cowardly for a politician to say they’ll fight for the little guy but only if the little guy isn’t an actual seven-pound baby who’s fighting for life.”
Recent polling shows that an overwhelming majority of Americans — 77 percent — want to see legal protections in place for children that survive abortions. According to a report from Americans United for Life, 19 states currently have no protections in place for abortion survivors.
