(VitalNews.org) – In June 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a ruling from 1973 that protected a woman’s choice as to whether or not to have an abortion. The decision gave that power to the states, concluding that voters could decide by using their voices at the ballot box. Now, the federal government is stepping back into the abortion debate with the introduction of a new bill.
On January 11, the House of Representatives passed the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act with a 220-210-1 vote, mostly along party lines. The measure lays out requirements for medical professionals who provide abortions. It states that if the baby survives the procedure, the doctor or practitioner must provide a certain level of care to the infant.
House passes first GOP abortion bill days into new session https://t.co/dkKvekGLnq pic.twitter.com/a7qnhEzQzP
— The Hill (@thehill) January 12, 2023
The bill also makes it illegal to kill the baby, stating that anyone doing so would possibly face murder charges. If medical personnel fail to provide the care outlined in the bill, they could also face punishment, including fines and jail time. The legislation specifically states that the mothers would not face prosecution in these cases, only those performing the procedure.
Using data from 2003 to 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported statistics involving abortions and induced terminations. They included the exact language from certificates of death to outline the data. According to the report, 143 deaths seemed to involve these types of terminations over the 12-year period. The government of Oregon defined induced terminations as purposely ending a pregnancy that does not produce a live birth.
Several Republicans in the House spoke out after passing the bill, The Hill reported, with Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) stating that “life is sacred” and stressing how important it is to provide medical care to infants that survive abortions. Some Democrats believe the legislation puts some babies in danger, saying the care outlined in the bill might not be appropriate in all cases. According to Fox News, Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) insisted it’s already illegal for medical professionals not to provide care to infants, making the measure moot.
The act will now head to the Senate for consideration.
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