CNN Describes a Baby Who Survives Abortion as a ‘Fetus That Was Born'
A CNN report on pro-life legislation described a baby who survived an abortion as a “fetus that was born.”
Senators are voting Tuesday on pro-life legislation that aims to protect babies who survive botched abortions and are born alive as well as legislation that would make abortion illegal after 20 weeks when the unborn baby can feel pain.
The two pieces of legislation are called the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.
As of publication, the first act did not pass.
20-week abortion ban fails in the Senate, 53-44 (needed 60)
— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) February 25, 2020
CNN covered the legislation in the Tuesday report “Senate to vote on two abortion restriction bills,” a report in which CNN’s Caroline Kelly described a baby who had survived an abortion as a “fetus that was born.”
CNN did not yet respond to a request for comment from The Daily Caller News Foundation about what “a fetus that was born” means.
Here’s the @CNN coverage of today’s votes, referring to the born-alive bill as an “abortion restriction bill” even though it places no limits on when or whether women can obtain abortions but merely requires care for newborn infants. https://t.co/r4Z5Z1n4xX
— Alexandra DeSanctis (@xan_desanctis) February 25, 2020
“The second bill to be considered Tuesday is the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, sponsored by Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, that would require abortion providers to work to ‘preserve the life and health’ of a fetus that was born following an attempted abortion as they would for a newborn baby, or face up to five years in prison,” Kelly wrote.
It’s unthinkable that an elected official would vote to allow medical care to be DENIED to a breathing baby, but there are members in #Congress that refuse to stand up against “#infanticide.” We’re fighting to put an end to this and we need your voice. https://t.co/PiNq07LDWe
— Jay Sekulow (@JaySekulow) February 25, 2020
Pro-life advocates maintain that the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act is not about abortion, but instead about protecting the lives of babies already born.
“Every one of us should be able to say without any hesitation, ‘leaving babies to die is unacceptable.’
THIS AIN’T HARD STUFF, PEOPLE!!
This should be a 100 to zero no-brainer.”@SenSasse speaks on his bill to ensure care for infants born alive during abortion #EndInfanticide pic.twitter.com/HksvJl9HOs
— Susan B. Anthony List (@SBAList) February 25, 2020
“Before senators and journalists write this hearing off as another messy and long-standing fight about abortion policy, I want to humbly ask that we not retreat into the fortified and familiar trenches our parties have occupied for the past 47 years,” Sasse said at a February hearing on the legislation.
“This hearing is not about overturning Roe v. Wade. In fact, this hearing is not about limiting access to abortion at all,” the Nebraska senator said.
“This hearing isn’t a debate about first-, second- or third-trimester abortions.
“This hearing is about making sure that every newborn has a fighting chance – whether she’s born in a labor and delivery ward or whether she’s born in an abortion clinic.”
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