Republicans Reincorporate Measures to Safeguard Infants Born Following Failed Abortions

January 17, 2025 TruthUSA

“No child should be denied medical care simply because they are ‘unwanted,’” stated Sen. John Lankford (R-Okla.).

Republican legislators are renewing their push to create federal care standards for infants who are born alive following failed abortion attempts.

For years, GOP members have sought to enact laws mandating that medical personnel administer the same standard of care to abortion survivors that is afforded to other newborns.

While current legislation recognizes the legal personhood of all infants born alive, there are no federal mandates governing their medical care post-birth. Democrats have historically opposed efforts to amend this. However, with Congress soon to be under Republican control along with the White House, they may have a renewed opportunity for success.

“No child should be denied medical care simply because they are ‘unwanted,’” Sen. John Lankford (R-Okla.) remarked when unveiling the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act on January 16.

“At present, if an abortion fails and the child is born alive, medical professionals can simply disregard the crying infant on the table, allowing them to perish from neglect. That’s not an abortion; that’s infanticide.”

Should it pass, Lankford’s legislation would prohibit the intentional killing of a newborn who survives an abortion. Healthcare providers present at the birth would be legally obliged to administer the same level of life-saving care as they would for any other infant of comparable gestational age.

Additionally, the legislation stipulates that newborns who survive an abortion must be immediately transported to a hospital for necessary medical attention. Healthcare practitioners who fail to comply with or report violations could face fines and imprisonment of up to five years. Importantly, the mother of the infant would not be subject to prosecution.

The proposal has garnered co-sponsorship from 43 Republican senators, with Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) labeling it “a basic standard of decency” that should receive broad bipartisan backing.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), a firm supporter of abortion rights, previously obstructed a similar bill in 2019, asserting that federal laws already prohibit infanticide.

Fast forward to 2023, and a comparable bill faced opposition from 210 House Democrats, with only Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) supporting it and Rep. Vincente Gonzalez (D-Texas) choosing to vote present.

Despite this, the Republican majority managed to pass the bill, which drew criticism from Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for advancing “their extreme anti-choice agenda.”

“Democrats are committed to ensuring that everyone has the freedom to pursue reproductive health services – without the threat of violence, intimidation, or harassment,” Pelosi said on Twitter, now known as X.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, an organization advocating for abortion rights, condemned the bill—as it never made it to a Senate vote—as a “cruel and misguided attempt to interfere” with patients’ medical decisions.

“This irresponsible legislation would obstruct families from making critical quality-of-life choices, such as providing comfort or spiritual support in distressing and painful circumstances,” Dr. Iffath Abbasi Hoskins, the then-president of the organization, remarked at that time.

Conversely, pro-life advocates have lauded initiatives aimed at protecting those who survive botched abortions.

“It is simply a matter of common sense and basic humanitarian practice to ensure that a baby who survives an abortion and is born alive receives protection and medical care,” stated Jeanne Mancini, president of March for Life Action, in a January 16 statement.

“We urge Congress to align our nation’s laws with the views of the vast majority of Americans, who do not support allowing living infants to die without treatment.”

The proposed legislation is anticipated to be put to a vote this month.

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