Hakeem Jeffries, the minority leader in the House, has accused Republicans of pursuing an “extreme MAGA Republican agenda” with their newfound majority.
New York Democrat and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries blasted the “extreme MAGA Republican right-wing agenda” of Republicans for trying to pass a law mandating medical treatment for babies born alive after botched abortions.
At his weekly news conference on Thursday, the Democratic leader denounced a supposed Republican intention to “impose a countrywide ban on abortion.” The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act and a resolution condemning violence against crisis pregnancy centers and pro-life groups were put to the vote the day before by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
They have “made it obvious they are going to do everything necessary to establish a statewide abortion ban — that basic reproductive freedom,” Jeffries added. He said the GOP’s goal is to “impose government-mandated pregnancies on the American people” and “criminalize abortion services.”
Although some pro-life Republicans are in the majority in the House, they have not introduced any legislation that would make abortion illegal or impose any additional government limitations on the operation.
A baby that survives an abortion attempt is now considered a “legal person for all purposes under the laws of the United States,” according to legislation passed on Wednesday. A “reasonably careful and conscientious health care practitioner” must provide the same level of care to these newborns as they would to any other kid born alive.
These infants would then need to be admitted to a hospital for additional treatment by medical professionals. If caught breaking the law, you might face fines or jail time of up to five years.
In the floor debate, Republicans used former Democratic Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s words as an example of why the legislation has to be updated to protect newborn newborns who survive abortions. About abortions in the third trimester, Northam seemed to endorse delivering kids who could still be alive before ending their lives outside the womb.
Democrats, however, ignored this claim and instead claimed that Republicans were attempting to criminalize abortion despite the absence of any such limits in the text.
All 210 of the “no” votes on the measure were from Democrats, and it ultimately passed with a 220-vote margin of victory. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) was the only Democrat to support the effort; Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) was the only Democrat to vote “present.”
Since Democrats now control the Senate, it has little chance of passing.
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) also had a resolution passed by a vote of 222-209 in the House that “condemns recent attacks of vandalism, violence, and destruction against pro-life facilities” and “recognizes the sanctity of life and the important role pro-life facilities, groups, and churches play in supporting pregnant women, infants, and families.”
Because it did not also denounce political violence against abortion facilities, most Democrats in the House voted against the measure.