There is good news out of Washington today — in Congress, to be exact. Yes, you heard me correctly! Today at 1 p.m. ET, House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), bill sponsor Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) and the Pro-Life Caucus will host a hearing on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.
This “minority hearing” is a rare occurrence on Capitol Hill. Whip Scalise has taken the initiative to hold a hearing with four expert witnesses to accurately demonstrate why legislation is necessary to provide life-saving care to infants born alive during abortions and end infanticide. More than 30 pro-life Members of Congress are scheduled to participate. You can watch the hearing live here.
While many opposed to life would like us to believe that infants never survive abortion, we know that is not the case. According to state health data, at least 40 babies were born alive during abortion attempts in three states since 2016. Unfortunately, those states — Arizona, Florida and Minnesota — plus four more which require statistics but have yet to report any — are the only states in the nation now tracking infants born alive during abortion.
The fact of the matter is, we know that some infants survive abortion attempts. In fact, one witness at today’s hearing — former RN Jill Stanek — will describe her eye-witness account to babies left to die after surviving abortions in an Illinois hospital.
Because we know infants can and do survive abortions, we must ensure they are protected by law.
The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, H.R. 962, will prohibit infanticide. The bill simply requires that a baby born during an abortion attempt receive the same medical care as any other newborn. It’s common-sense and the only humane response to born-alive abortions. Any newborn — wanted or not — has a right to medical care to preserve their life.
When nearly half of all states lack protection for born-alive infants, and several states (New York, Virginia, Illinois and Vermont) have moved recently to legalize late-term abortions and repeal born-alive laws, the time to act is now.
Unfortunately, House Democrats led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.) have blocked a vote on this common-sense legislation 81 times. This action is nothing less than an obstruction of justice for life!
Whip Scalise and Rep. Wagner filed a discharge petition on the Born-Alive Act to force a vote in April, but they are still 17 signatures shy of the necessary 218 to force a vote on this life-saving legislation. To date, two Democrats have joined all 197 Republicans to sign the petition. House members who have signed are listed here.
If your representative hasn’t yet signed the petition, please send a message asking them to sign the discharge petition for the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act today. It only takes a few seconds in our action center.
Your representative needs to hear from you on this matter. Let them know that you want the law to require that we protect the most vulnerable in our nation and end the obstruction of justice for life.
With you for life,
Autumn Leva
Vice President for Strategy
by Stuart Shepard
Here’s what surprised me most: The sheer number of people on social media who found it impossible to write “It’s wrong to shoot members of Congress” – without adding – “but…”
I was scanning the reaction to the news this week that a gunman targeted a baseball field full of Republican lawmakers practicing for a friendly game against their Democrat rivals.
I’ll share a few social media posts I saw, but out of mercy, I will not share their names:
“I’m very sorry these people were shot… I suppose it’s too much to think that this might be a learning experience…”
“Not happy that anyone was shot. The irony (given their position on gun laws) is inescapable, however.”
“Funny my thoughts were this is not good… (but I) bet they never thought a gun would have Sacalise in it’s sites. Swift recovery and I hope some mediation on gun laws.” (sic)
“I can’t muster empathy for them. I just can’t.”
“Congress has viciously turned on all of us. If they continue to ignore the needs of the people they best expect more of this.”
“These people who were shot, voted to be shot.”
Okay, so some of them skipped right past the “It’s wrong to shoot members of Congress” part. But these are all actual comments by ostensibly actual human beings on a rather gracious post by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a group that regularly opposes much of what conservative members of Congress stand for.
But some followers of SPLC took issue with that expression of goodwill. One example:
Yikes.
Here’s a question for you: How do you respond?
Do you match name-calling with name-calling? When dark money pays people to pick fights at conservative rallies, do you swing back? Do you respond to ALL CAPS COMMENT with ALL CAPS RETORT, YOU CHUCKLEHEAD!
Oh, I know, it’s tempting. I fight that urge all the time – with varying degrees of success.
But, I’m convinced of this: It’s best simply to reply with a winsome, unassailable argument. To treat our friends who would “slap you on the right cheek” with surprising, unmerited grace, respect and courtesy. Because, in the end, our ultimate goal is not to beat them, it’s to win them to our point of view. And the proper way to nudge them gently in the right direction is by being salt and light – as opposed to, say, a sledgehammer.
Here, let me show you an example. Here’s a winsome, unassailable argument that has no need for a clarifying remark, footnote or “but…”:
“It’s wrong to shoot members of Congress.”