Peace Garden News

Senator John Hoeven has cast his vote in favor of advancing the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. This legislation, which he introduced alongside Senator James Lankford from Oklahoma, aims to ensure that newborns who survive abortions receive appropriate medical care from healthcare practitioners. Despite this effort, Senate Democrats blocked the bill, preventing it from achieving the necessary 60-vote threshold for consideration.

“This legislation would require health care practitioners to provide the same care for a child born alive following an abortion attempt, as they would to any infant born. We have a responsibility to protect those who are most vulnerable and ensure they are cared for with dignity and respect,” said Hoeven. “Each life is a blessing, and I will continue fighting to protect the sanctity of life.”

The context of this legislative push dates back to 2002 when Congress passed the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act. This act established that any newborn showing signs of life is legally recognized as a person at birth, regardless of how they were born. However, it did not include enforcement measures for protecting these infants. The new proposal seeks to address this gap by setting clear expectations for care, hospital transfer requirements, mandatory reporting protocols, private rights of action for mothers, and criminal penalties for healthcare professionals who fail to comply.