House Passes Bill Mandating Care for Infants Surviving Abortions

The House of Representatives passed the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act with a 217-204 vote, mandating that healthcare providers give life-saving care to infants born alive after failed abortions. The bill saw nearly unanimous Republican support, with only one Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar, voting in favor, while Senate Democrats blocked a similar measure. The legislation imposes legal penalties, including potential prison time, for healthcare providers who fail to care for such infants. Proponents argue it addresses a moral obligation to protect vulnerable lives, while opponents contend it is redundant and could impose unnecessary risks on women seeking late-term abortions due to medical conditions. The bill's passage in the House is unlikely to lead to further progress in the Senate, where it failed to secure the required majority to advance. Senate Democrats criticized the bill as an attack on women's health, framing it within a broader partisan divide on abortion-related issues.