The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act could be voted on this week, and as early as Feb. 25.

Every person in Washington, D.C., says they fight for the little guy. This week, every senator has a chance to prove it.

On Feb. 25, the U.S. Senate will have the opportunity to vote to protect babies who are born alive during botched abortions. The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act would require health care providers to give babies who survive abortions the same care they would give to any other baby. Simply put, this bill makes clear that the United States is not a country that turns a blind eye to infanticide.

Right now, no federal protections, and only spotty state regulations, exist for infants who end up in this horrifying situation. Some politicians are seemingly numb to this reality. Last month, some members of the New York State Assembly and Gov. Andrew Cuomo cheered the passage of a bill that eliminated basic medical and legal protections for babies born alive after botched abortions. A few days later, in the course of endorsing a bill to permit extreme late-term abortions in his state, disgraced Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam defended infanticide.

In Pennsylvania, this issue hits close to home. Five years ago, Philadelphia-area doctor Kermit Gosnell was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder after actively killing infants who were born alive after an attempted abortion. During the grisly trial, a mainstream abortion provider was asked: "What is your obligation if in fact a baby is born alive?" She chillingly replied in part: "really just keep it warm, you know. It will eventually pass." That case brought us face-to-face with these horribly cruel situations and showed the need for explicit legislation to address them.

Infanticide should be unthinkable to every civilized person. It shouldn’t depend on whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat. All of us should be able to agree that these newborn babies deserve protection. This week’s vote will give every member of the Senate the opportunity to make clear where they stand. A lot of issues have two sides. This isn’t one of them.

Thankfully, most Americans understand this. A recent poll shows that a sweeping majority of Americans oppose withholding medical treatment from babies who can survive outside the womb — and that sweeping majority includes more than seventy-five percent of Americans who identify as pro-choice. Americans, left and right, know that watching a newborn baby boy or girl die is barbaric.

This debate isn’t about abortion. This isn’t about "clumps of cells" or "choice." It's about breathing, kicking, squirming babies who are alive. Do they deserve the protection of our laws?

Or will we create a situation where some human beings count less than others — where some human beings are disposable?

Deep down each of us knows the right answer to those questions. Deep down each of us knows that every member of our human family ought to be protected, and deserves to be cherished and loved. Every child should be treated with care and respect; no child's life is disposable.

Protecting the infant survivors of abortion is simply making good on our commitment to uphold the dignity of every human being.

The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act should be one of the easiest votes any member of Congress ever has to take. There are lots of important public policy issues we can debate and argue about, but whether or not a living newborn baby deserves medical care shouldn’t be one of them. There is no more basic responsibility for a public official than to defend the vulnerable and the innocent against exploitation, abuse, or worse. Speaking up for the voiceless, defending the defenseless, coming to the aid of the helpless — this is our job.

And it's who we are as Americans.

This week, let's fight together for the littlest guy.

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-PA, and U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-NE, are sponsors of the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.