Abortion Extremists Once Again Vote Down Born-Alive Act

Statement

Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) released the following statement after House Democrats voted down the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act as part of a motion to recommit on H.R. 2339.

"House Democrats have happily joined their colleagues in the Senate by, once again, voting against protections for babies born during an abortion. Everyone should be able to agree -- once a baby is born alive, we should do everything in our power to keep it alive. Yet today, House Democrats shockingly sided with extremists who do not believe babies born alive during an abortion deserve life-saving care. This abortion extremism is disgustingly out of step with the views of American voters and is a direct consequence of political spending by special interests in the big-abortion industry. While Speaker Pelosi won't bring the Born-Alive Act up for a vote under regular procedure, House Republicans, as led by Rep. Ann Wagner on the Floor today, will continue to use every tool at our disposal, including my discharge petition, to force the issue until these babies have the protections they deserve under law."

Background on the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act:

Requires that health care practitioners who are present at the live birth exercise skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child--the same degree of care that would be offered to any other child born prematurely the same gestational age. After those efforts, the health care workers must transport and admit the child to a hospital.
Requires health care practitioners and hospital employees to report violations to law enforcement authorities, reducing the number of born-alive abortions that go unreported.
Penalizes the intentional killing of a born-alive child through fines or up to 5 years imprisonment.
Gives the mother of the abortion survivor a civil cause of action and protection from prosecution, recognizing that women are the second victims of abortion and promoting the dignity of motherhood

Background on the Born-Alive Act Discharge Petition:

Whip Scalise introduced H.Res. 102 to provide floor consideration of H.R. 962, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.)
The Born-Alive Act discharge petition set a record for the most signatures within 24 hours of a discharge petition being introduced.
All House Republicans and three House Democrats have signed the petition.
A simple majority (218) of signatures are needed for a discharge petition to be successful. The petition currently has 204 signatures.
Discharge petitions do not expire during the 116th Congress. At any point in this Congress, upon receiving 218 signatures, this discharge petition would force floor consideration of the Born Alive Act, with no amendments or procedural tactics in order, and proceed to a final vote.

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