U.S. Representative Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) Wednesday signed a discharge petition to bring the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (H.R. 619) to the House floor for a vote.
“A baby born alive after a failed abortion is a precious child who deserves protection and care,” Congresswoman Walorski said. “The Born-Alive Act would give these newborns the same chance at life as babies born any other way. This is not a partisan issue. It shouldn’t be controversial. It is simply what’s right. Speaker Pelosi has blocked this commonsense bill for far too long, and it’s time for an up-or-down vote.”
BACKGROUND
The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act would:
- Require that, if a child is born alive after surviving an abortion, any health practitioner exercise the same degree of care to preserve the life and health of the child as any other child of the same gestational age would receive. The survivor must then be immediately transported to a hospital.
- Require health care practitioners and hospital employees to report violations to law enforcement authorities, reducing the number of born-alive abortions that go unreported.
- Penalize the intentional killing of a born-alive child through fines or up to five years imprisonment.
- Give the mother of the abortion survivor a civil cause of action against the abortionist and protection from prosecution, recognizing that women are the second victims of abortion and promoting the dignity of motherhood.
A discharge petition is a procedural tool to bring legislation to the floor when House leaders are blocking a vote. If 218 members of the House sign the discharge petition, the legislation goes to the floor for debate and a final vote. With all 212 House Republicans signing, the discharge petition for H.R. 619 will succeed if six Democrats also sign.
Walorski is an original co-sponsor of H.R. 619. In the 116th Congress, she was among dozens of House Republicans to ask unanimous consent that the House consider the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. House Democrats objected to all 80 of these requests.
Walorski recently reintroduced the Dignity for Aborted Children Act to ensure the remains of abortion victims are treated with dignity and respect. Her legislation would build on the Indiana law enacted in 2016 and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court requiring abortion providers to provide for the proper burial or cremation of aborted fetal remains.
Walorski represents the 2nd Congressional District of Indiana, serving as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Ranking Member of the House Ethics Committee.
