Born-alive protections stifled in Congress

Born-alive protections stifled in Congress

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have initiated another effort to gain a floor vote on legislation to require health care for a baby born alive during an abortion.

Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) filed a discharge petition April 2 for the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which states that a child who survives an abortion is a “legal person” deserving protection of the same degree of care offered “any other baby born alive at the same gestational age.”

Success of the discharge petition seems unlikely. More than two dozen attempts to bring the bill to a House vote have failed because the presiding officer from the Democratic majority has declined the request. Similar efforts in the Senate also have failed. (BP)