Rounds Cosponsors Born-Alive Protection Act

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today cosponsored the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.

“This is not a pro-life versus pro-choice issue: it is a matter of fact,” said Rounds. “A baby who survives an abortion has the same rights under the law as any other newborn baby. In the history of the world, the true test of society is how well we treat the most vulnerable among us. The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act is an opportunity to do the right thing and make certain we are protecting the most helpless and defenseless in our society.”

The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which is identical to that passed by the House of Representatives last week on a bipartisan vote of 248-177, would protect newborns that survive abortions by requiring appropriate care and admission to a hospital.

The legislation requires that, when an abortion results in the live birth of an infant, health care practitioners must exercise the same degree of professional skill and care to protect the newborn as would be offered to any other child born alive at the same gestational age. It also requires that the living child, after appropriate care has been given, be immediately transported and admitted to a hospital.

The bill was introduced by Senator Ben Sasse (R-Neb.). Original cosponsors to the legislation include: Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Dan Coats (R-Ind.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).