Democrats Have Blocked Bills to Stop Infanticide 12 Times, But We Won’t Stop Fighting for Babies

Opinion   |   James Inhofe, Rep. Steve Scalise   |   Mar 4, 2019   |   1:53PM   |   Washington, DC

From New York to Virginia, states across the country are infringing on the right to life more and more, preventing millions of babies from realizing their God-given potential. Our right to life is not only enshrined in our Declaration of Independence, it is a solemn promise to protect innocent lives. While Congressional Democrats are fighting to continue and expand the abortion on demand culture they’ve perpetuated, we’re standing with President Trump to protect innocent life at all stages of development.

The new front for the abortion activist is to deny babies who survive the brutal abortion process their right to life. Liberal states and politicians argue that unwanted babies who survive abortions—including late-term abortions—should not receive the highest level of medical care and would simply be “made comfortable” before they are murdered. While horrific, this isn’t far-fetched. Twenty-four states do not have explicit protections for live births. The state of New York specifically repealed this protection last month with lawmakers cheering and applauding in the background. Virginia considered a bill that would have done the same, but after a video went viral that made it clear the legislation would have allowed infanticide it failed in committee.

It is appalling and Congress must act. That is why we support the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. It should be common sense in a just and moral society. This bill requires medical practitioners—those who have sworn to ‘do no harm’—to exercise equal care to a baby who survives an abortion as any other child and provides criminal penalties for anyone who intentionally kills or denies lifesaving care to a child who is born alive after an abortion.

While members of the Senate are on the record with a vote on this legislation, the Democrat leadership that controls the House of Representatives has blocked its consideration. They don’t want to have to vote on infanticide because they know the rest of the country doesn’t agree–77 percent of Americans support protections for abortion survivors and 62 percent oppose late-term abortion.

SIGN THE PETITION: Stop Infanticide! Stop Abortions Up to Birth!

There is one way to get around Speaker Pelosi’s iron grip and demand accountability of our lawmakers—the discharge petition. If a majority of the Members of Congress sign the discharge petition on the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, the Speaker will be forced to bring it to the floor for a vote. Whip Scalise has begun the process of a discharge petition in the House, which will become eligible for signatures early in April.

Because of the reform effort led by Sen. Inhofe in the early 1990s, the discharge petition signatures are now public. What this means is that constituents can clearly see if their elected representatives truly hold their values or only pay lip service to preventing infanticide and protecting the unborn. So look online. See if your representative supports life and the joys and blessings that come with that wonderful gift. Then take action by asking your member of Congress to sign the discharge petition to give a voice to the voiceless. With your help, we can force a vote on this important legislation

LifeNews Note: Republican James Inhofe represents Oklahoma in the United States Senate. He is a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Rep. Steve Scalise is a Lousiaiana Congressman and the Republican Minority Whip.