Washington, D.C. – Congressman Steve Pearce released the following statement in preparation of the U.S. House of Representatives voting on final passage of H.R. 4712, the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, tomorrow. This bill ensures that children born alive during an abortion procedure receive the same care as any other child:

"Human life is precious. As a nation, as human beings, we have a responsibility to respect the sanctify of life, and uphold the rights of those who cannot speak for themselves. Any child born into this world must be protected and cared for. No longer should hospitals and abortion providers be able to consider a heart-beating, living child as worthless. These infants have the ability to feel the unimaginable pain of their lives being ended. This action goes beyond my duty as an elected official, but to my duty as a human to protect and fight for all life. All life brought into this world must be valued, and today, we took a necessary step forward to avoid future pain and suffering of newly born children."

The Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act establishes criminal penalties for practitioners who intentionally kill or harm a baby born alive or attempt to harvest body parts. Mothers who receive an abortion will not be prosecuted, and have grounds to file civil action.