Rep. Steve Scalise (Screen Capture)

(CNSNews.com) — When asked if a baby that survives an abortion but is left to die unattended on a hospital table constitutes infanticide, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), the House Minority Whip, said it is murder “and so, infanticide.”

At the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, CNSNews.com asked Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.): “The Born-Alive Abortion Survivor Protection Act says that a baby who survives an abortion must receive immediate medical care and be admitted to a hospital. Do you believe that denying such care constitutes infanticide?”

McCarthy deferred to Minority Whip Scalise who has been spearheading the drive to get a House vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivor Protection Act.

Scalise said, “Well, first of all, when you look at what New York ushered in, the law that allows for infanticide – literally, I mean, it’s murder.”

“To me, if a baby is born alive outside the womb, we’re not even having a discussion on abortion anymore,” he said. “We’re having a discussion about whether a human being has the ability to live or can someone can kill that baby?”

In late January, New York passed a law allowing abortion across the board, even up to the moment of birth.

Scalise continued, “It should be murder if they kill that baby, and so, infanticide. And so, we’re pushing to get a vote on this bill to give protection to every baby who is born alive.”

(Getty Images)

“It shouldn’t be a state-by-state standard,” he said. “Right now in many states there is a full legal protection for that baby born alive. But in other states, the baby doesn’t have the same protection.”

“And people look at and say, ‘this is America,’” said Scalise. “If a baby is born alive, it’s a human being, that baby ought to have full protection under law. It shouldn't be allowed to be murdered. And so that’s what we’re trying to do.”

The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act states, “Any infant born alive after an abortion or within a hospital, clinic, or other facility has the same claim to the protection of the law that would arise for any newborn.”

It further states, “A health care practitioner who is present must (1) exercise the same degree of care as reasonably provided to another child born alive at the same gestational age, and (2) immediately admit the child to a hospital. The bill also requires a health care practitioner or other employee to immediately report any failure to comply with this requirement to law enforcement.

“A person who violates the requirements is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. Additionally, an individual who intentionally kills or attempts to kill a child born alive is subject to prosecution for murder.”

House Republicans are pushing a discharge petition to try to force a vote on the Act. Democrats have denied “unanimous consent” to allow the bill to come to a vote at least 25 times.

During the press conference, Scalise said they have 200 signatures so far for the discharge petition. They need 218 to force the House Democratic Leadership to put the legislation on the floor for a vote.