WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — President Donald Trump vowed on the campaign trail to veto a federal abortion ban, but Democrats warn that efforts are already underway to move the country closer to that point.
“‘Leave it to the states.’ Out the window,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on the 52nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade on Wednesday. “Mr President Trump, this is the national level. You are already involved and breaking your promises.”
Republicans in the House and Senate are pushing a bill this week that would require health care providers to try to save an infant’s life if the child is born alive during or after an abortion attempt.
“It’s a simple bill,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.).
“These innocent lives deserve to be protected,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) emphasized that it is already illegal in the U.S. to intentionally kill a baby born alive.
“Republicans are still spreading debunked lies about how abortion works and the people who have them,” Murray said.
More than 140 Republican members of Congress also sent a letter to President Trump urging him to deepen what they call “life-affirming pro-life policies.”
“The next step, I hope, is for President Trump to issue executive orders restoring his first term policies,” said U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).
Hawley signed the letter and recently introduced a bill to defund Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers.
“They shouldn’t be able to get taxpayer money to do this,” Hawley said.
U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison (D-Minn.), who described herself as the first and only elective gynecologist in Congress, urged Republicans to remember who elected her.
“Voters across the country have shown they want to protect a woman’s right to access the health care she needs,” Morrison said.
The Trump administration also removed the reproductive rights page from the official White House website.
