Columbia Standard

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin expressed his opposition to the "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act" following a Senate vote where the bill failed to advance. The proposed legislation, backed by Republicans, aimed to establish new standards of care for physicians in reproductive health, threatening providers with potential jail time. The Senate vote concluded with a tally of 52-47 against moving forward with the bill.

Durbin stated, “Instead of addressing the health care crisis that Dobbs has unleashed, Republicans are now looking to make it even harder for women to access comprehensive and compassionate health care." He further criticized the bill as an attempt to "target and intimidate reproductive health care providers."

The senator emphasized that existing laws already ensure equal protections for any child born in America. He referenced the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002, which passed with bipartisan support and was signed into law by then-President George W. Bush.

A coalition of medical and health organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, voiced their concerns in a letter to Congress. They described the bill as a "dangerous government intrusion into medical care" that could disrupt the patient-provider relationship and undermine clinical judgment.