When Congress passed the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act in 2002, the only way members could get it approved was without any teeth – without any punishment in place for violating it. So this session, a new version of the bill that requires doctors to provide care for infants born alive after a failed abortion was introduced.
Democrats like Chuck Schumer allege that "the MAGA Republican-controlled House" are displaying their "extreme" views. Vice President Kamala Harris likewise accused Republican legislators of attempting to control women's bodies.
Before the vote, Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan (R) (pictured above) took time to remind the Democrats of the constitutional provision for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
"You can't pursue happiness, you can't chase down your goals and dreams if you first don't have freedom," he said. "And you don't have true liberty unless government protects your most fundamental right – your right to live, your right to breathe, your right to life. That's what this legislation is about, protecting the most innocent, the most vulnerable right to life."
West Virginia Congresswoman Carol Miller (R) spoke to how the 2002 measure fails to deal with those who end a newborn baby's life.
"It is unacceptable that there are no criminal charges for those who want to take their life away," she argued. "The people who allow babies to be killed after birth must be fully prosecuted. Let's be clear. Killing a baby who is born alive, regardless of an attempted abortion, is murder."
The House approved the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (HR 26) by a vote of 220-210, and it now heads to the U.S. Senate.
In response to the vote, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted, "Instead of joining Democrats to condemn all political violence, [House Republicans] chose to push their extreme anti-choice agenda."
She added, "Democrats believe everyone deserves the freedom to access reproductive health services – without fear of violence, intimidation, or harassment."
On that note, Republicans in the House also showed they have taken notice of the uptick in violence, intimidation, and harassment against pro-life organizations and individuals, seemingly with the approval of federal authorities.
By a vote of 222-209, with Democratic Reps. Vicente Gonzalez (Texas), Chrissy Houlahan (Pennsylvania), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Washington) voting for the bill, the U.S. House passed a resolution condemning the attacks.
"We know that more than a hundred pro-life organizations have been attacked since last spring, not the least of which are the more than 70 pregnancy help organizations that have had anything from bricks through the windows and graffiti spray-painted on their walls to literally being firebombed and having to close down," notes Andrea Trudden of Heartbeat International.
Last year, when the incidents were repeatedly occurring, the pro-life community pressed federal authorities to apply federal law, and the FBI said it would investigate. But after months of the FBI's negligence and abdication of their duties, some pro-lifers began working in conjunction with the Thomas More Society and private investigators to do the work the FBI refused to do. (See earlier story)
"It is interesting and a little troubling the fact that we know that these attacks have been going on since the spring, and yet still to date, not one person of interest has been named, nor anybody -- at least publicly -- has been arrested to be held account," Trudden tells AFN.
The House resolution lists and condemns recent attacks of vandalism, violence, and destruction against pro-life facilities, groups, churches. It also recognizes the sanctity of life and the important role pro-life facilities, groups, and churches play in supporting pregnant women, infants, and families, and it calls upon the Biden administration to use all appropriate law enforcement authorities to uphold public safety and to protect the rights of pro-life facilities, groups, and churches.
In a statement following the vote, Rep. Pelosi called the resolution "an insufficient and divisive resolution that advances their extreme anti-choice agenda and diminishes a woman's right to choose."
The House now awaits a formal response from the FBI as well as investigations and arrests.
