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Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) offered a pro-life amendment today to the Marketing and Outreach Restoration to Empower Health Education Act of 2019 (H.R. 987) and called for a vote on the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. House Democrats blocked both of these efforts.

Latta Calls for Vote on Born Alive Protections

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - blocking this legislation is shameful,” says Latta. “There is no difference between an ‘abortion survivor’ and a newborn. Both are infants, born alive and separate from their mothers’ bodies. And both deserve proper medical treatment. It’s astounding to me that Democrats deny this personhood. My fellow members of the pro-life caucus and I will not stop until this legislation passes and is signed into law.”

The Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act does exactly what the name suggests: ensures any infant born alive after an abortion receives the same protection under the law as any other newborn. This means that medical care is mandated, and any doctors who allow these infants to die or who intentionally kills them will face penalties.

Earlier this year, Congressman Latta penned an op-ed about Democrats’ continued blocking of this legislation in the House and Senate. In April, House Republicans filed a discharge petition with bipartisan support to force a vote on the House floor to end infanticide. The petition broke a record after receiving more than 190 signatures on the first day -- the highest number any petition has received in a single day in 22 years.

Latta Introduces Pro-Life Amendment

Congressman Latta’s amendment to H.R. 987 would require that individuals or organizations trained to help consumers and businesses look for health care coverage options through the Obamacare Marketplace disclose that the plan they are considering covers abortion services and what the monthly surcharge is for the coverage. Under current Obama-era regulation, many consumers who sign up for coverage on the exchanges end up paying a hidden abortion surcharge as part of their monthly premium. This amendment failed to pass the Rules Committee.

Latta Co-Sponsors Abortion is Not Health Care Act

Congressman Latta joined several members of Congress and leaders of pro-life organizations in supporting the Abortion is Not Health Care Act. This legislation would end the Internal Revenue Service’s treatment of out-of-pocket abortion costs as a medical expense.

“The ending of a human life should not be part of a taxpayer's money-saving strategy when they file their taxes each April,” said Latta. “I'm proud to support legislation to remove financial incentives for abortions, and will continue to work with the Pro-Life Caucus to end all federal funding streams for them.”

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