Push to Outlaw Infanticide in the U.S. House

Washington D.C. – Today, is the first day that U.S. Representatives can sign a discharge petition that would require the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protections Act to have a full vote on the U.S. House floor. Pro-life legislators will hold a press conference today at the House Triangle at 11:30 AM. Then the petition will open up on the House floor around 12:45 PM today. The petition must have 218 legislators sign it to require this vote.

In addition, today the U.S. Senate is expected to debate their version of the Born-Alive Act. Every single legislator should support equal medical care for newborn babies, regardless of their parents’ past abuse or neglect. Liberty Counsel Action strongly supports this action and has been meeting with legislators to educate them on why it is necessary. It also has a pledge that anyone can sign to show their support for life across America. Since Republicans first introduced the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, there has been a surge in pro-life sentiment among both Democrat and Republican voters. In just one month, the number of people who identify as pro-life increased 17 percentage points between January and February of 2019. Previously the numbers from this poll had seen little to no change over the past 10 years.

• Democrats under age 45 who identify as pro-life, jumped from 20 percent to 34 percent.
• The percentage of Americans under 45 years old identified as pro-life in January was 28 percent, but by February that number jumped to 47 percent.
• Americans under age 45 supporting abortion dropped to below 50 percent.
• The vast majority of Americans want to limit abortion to the first three months (80%).
• And even 77% of Americans believe that newborn babies who are viable after birth should have medical care.

"Life, no matter how young, is not expendable. Every child deserves protection," said Mat Staver, Chairman of Liberty Counsel Action.

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Liberty Counsel Action encourages anyone wishing to contact their U.S. Representative to call the House switchboard at 202-224-3121. If they don't know who their legislator is, he or she can be found here. The Born-Alive law from 2015 did not create specific protections for children who survive abortion. The bill before the U.S. House today will require that if a child is born alive, medical staff must give them the same level of care as a non-aborted newborn of the same gestation and transport them immediately to a hospital. There are reports of newborns being killed by being placed in formaldehyde or in a bucket with a lid or a ziploc-style bag to suffocate to death or ambulances being turned away from abortion clinics to deny care as newborns are fighting for their lives. "Protecting a living newborn infant is not about being pro-life, it is about being compassionate toward a human," said Jonathan Alexandre, J.D., Director of Public Policy for Liberty Counsel Action. "We are seeing the deadly consequences of our legislators blocking this bill—leaving infants to die. The Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act deserves a vote in the House. We must stop the neglect and murder of newborn babies who are gasping for air on an abortion clinic table. When will our nation come to its senses? Now is the time to show our respect for all life," said Alexandre.