Pro-lifers pounce on Fetterman for opposing ‘Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act’: ‘Infanticide’
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., along with his fellow Senate Democrats, made headlines on Wednesday by blocking the advancement of the controversial “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act” in the Senate chamber. The bill, which would have required healthcare practitioners to provide life-saving care to babies born during attempted abortions, was met with fierce opposition from Fetterman and his colleagues.
Fetterman, a staunch supporter of a woman’s right to make her own healthcare choices, took to social media to express his opposition to the bill. In a post on X, he declared, “I’ve always stood on the side of Roe and a woman’s right to make her own health care choices. It’s absurd to mandate criminalization because of those choices. Any bill that does so, including the Born-Alive Survivors Protection Act, is a NO from me.”
The measure, which failed to advance in a 52-47 party-line vote, would have required healthcare providers to treat babies born alive during attempted abortions with the same level of care as any other child born at the same gestational age. It also mandated that the infant be immediately transported and admitted to a hospital for further treatment.
Despite the text of the legislation explicitly stating that the child’s mother would not be prosecuted, pro-life advocates condemned Fetterman’s stance on the issue. Lila Rose, president and founder of Live Action, took to Twitter to criticize Fetterman, accusing him of voting against medical care for a “crying infant, begging for help, struggling to survive after a failed abortion.”
In response to the backlash, Katie Glenn Daniel, director of legal affairs and policy counsel for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, pointed out the irony of Fetterman’s decision, stating, “My dude, it’s literally called the Born-ALIVE Abortion SURVIVORS Protection Act. A baby is born, breathing and squirming, and you voted to deny her the life-sustaining healthcare that she would be owed if she was born under any other circumstance.”
The controversy surrounding Fetterman’s decision to block the bill highlights the ongoing debate over abortion rights and the ethical considerations surrounding the treatment of infants born alive during attempted abortions. While Fetterman remains steadfast in his support for a woman’s right to choose, the issue continues to divide lawmakers and advocates on both sides of the aisle.
