Today Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-04) stood in unity with Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23), Whip Steve Scalise (LA-01), and Rep. Ann Wagner (MO-02), among numerous other members of Congress, in signing a discharge petition for the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which would require medical providers to give the same level of care to a baby born following an attempted abortion as they give to any other child who is born prematurely. Hartzler also participated in a press conference this afternoon, speaking on the urgency of this legislation. You can watch a clip of her speaking here.
“All newborn babies have the right to proper medical care,” Hartzler said. “It is common sense that any child who is born alive, even after an attempted abortion, deserves this. We already have a law on the books recognizing infants as ‘persons,’ but this bill will hold abortionists responsible to follow the law.”
The 2004 born-alive law recognized infants born during an abortion as “persons” but did not require abortionists and health care professionals to treat the born alive infant with the same degree of care given to any other baby. Infants born alive during an abortion can die by direct homicide, as in the case of Kermit Gosnell, or neglect.
Today’s Born-Alive bill requires any health care professional present at a live birth to exercise skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child. After those efforts, the health care workers must transport and admit the child to a hospital. Furthermore, this bill requires health care practitioners and hospital employees to report violations to law enforcement authorities, in order to reduce the number of born alive abortions that go unreported. This provision will save lives, Hartzler added.
Recognizing that women are the second victims of abortion, this bill would give the mother of the abortion survivor a civil cause of action to seek help for her child, while also protecting the woman from prosecution.
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