House Democrats have twice refused now to take up the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act for consideration.
The measure is “designed to ensure any infant born alive after an abortion receives the same protection of law as any newborn: mandating care and instituting penalties for doctors who allow such infants to die or who intentionally kill a newborn,” according to a statement from the office of its sponsor Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO).
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) attempted to get the legislation considered in the House Wednesday.
“If the Democrats object, we'll ask again, and again and again because it is just right,” he said prior to his attempt. “It's not a partisan issue–it’s about saving lives. I think everyone can agree with that. We should solve this problem this week.”
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) asked for the bill to be considered again Thursday. He and McCarthy wondered on Twitter why the Democrats kept rejecting it.
The Democrat party has taken a radically callous position towards life. https://t.co/LwXw2RtV3t
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) February 7, 2019
EWTN’s Jason Calvi made an interesting point about the Democrat presiding over the floor at the time, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX). Cuellar had voted for the passage of the measure in the House just last year.
NEW: Rep. @SteveScalise just called for unanimous consent to bring up a vote on the #BornAliveAct. @RepCuellar, one of 6 Democrats who voted FOR this bill in 2018, presided over the House. Here's what happened: pic.twitter.com/rPzQyztmB3
— Jason Calvi (@JasonCalvi) February 7, 2019
Senate Democrats blocked a measure Monday that would have legally protected infants born alive after an abortion procedure.
The move to protect infants born alive after abortion comes after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) made some surprising remarks about leaving infants to die after birth.
“It’s done in cases where there may be severe deformities, there may be a fetus that’s nonviable,” Northam told WTOP regarding third trimester abortions. “So in this particular example, if a mother’s in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered, the infant would be kept comfortable, the infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.”
He stood by those remarks but is now facing calls to resign over a photo from his medical school yearbook that surfaced last Friday which featured someone in Ku Klux Klan robes and someone in blackface.
During his State of the Union address Tuesday, President Trump condemned Northam's remarks on abortion and urged Congress to pass legislation prohibiting late term abortion.