WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Darin LaHood stood for life today and signed onto a discharge petition to force a vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act would require medical practitioners to provide the same degree of medical care to a child born alive during an abortion as any other baby. Over the last two months, House Republicans have requested a vote on this commonsense bill 25 times and Democrats refused to allow a vote each time.
“Across this country, and right at home in Illinois, Democrats are pushing abortion policies so extreme that a child could be killed up until the point of birth for simply not being wanted. And its time lawmakers go on the record about whether they support these abhorrent policies,” stated Rep. LaHood. “It’s unacceptable that for two months Democrats in Congress have placated to the extremes of their base by refusing to bring this commonsense bill to the floor, and today, House Republicans are taking an important step to stand up against infanticide. As a father of three, I am proud to sign this discharge petition to force a vote on this bill and I will continue to lend a voice to the voiceless.”
In February, Rep. LaHood went to the House floor in defense of life and in support of the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. You can watch that here.
What is the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act?
- Requires medical practitioners present at the birth of a child during an attempted abortion to exercise “skill, care, and diligence to preserve life and health of a child,” the same level of care received by any other baby
- Penalizes any medical practitioner who intentionally kills a child born alive during an abortion with up to five years in prison and heavy fines
- Compels hospital employees to report any violations to law enforcement officials, lowering the number of born-alive children that are not reported
The Born-Alive Protection Survivors Act is Commonsense, Widely Supported, and Needed
- The Born-Alive Protection Survivors Act holds strong bipartisan support, with 77% of voters supporting legislation like this
- Democrats in Illinois have committed to becoming the most radical state in the country for abortion, putting forth legislation that would allow abortion for any reason and with no restrictions throughout the entire pregnancy
- In New York and Vermont, legislation has been signed into law and passed that makes no-limits abortion a right and allows abortion up to the point of birth
- In Virginia, following the introduction of an extreme proposal, the Governor endorsed infanticide when he said on a radio program that an “infant would be kept comfortable” while a decision was made about whether the child would be kept alive after a botched abortion
How the Discharge Petition Process Works
- House Republicans have requested 25 times for unanimous consent to consider the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Act
- Under the rules of the U.S House of Representatives, after 30 legislative days a discharge petition, which is a legislative tool used to force a vote on a piece of legislation, can be filed
- Members of the House now have the chance to go on record, either by signing this petition to force a vote against infanticide or refusing to condemn such actions
- If the discharge petition reaches 218 signatures, the legislation would be allowed to be brought to the floor for a vote
