On Monday night I proudly voted for the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.

There should be nothing controversial about voting to give babies born as a result of a failed abortion the same degree of medical care given to those born at the same stage of a pregnancy. The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act is legislation that makes certain every child who is born has the same opportunity to live and survive.

During my service in the House of Representatives, I sponsored and worked to pass this humane legislation. I introduced an identical version of this bill in the House during the last Congress. Also, I chaired the Select Investigative Panel and we issued 15 criminal referrals against entities involved in the sale of baby body parts.

DEMS BLOCK 'BORN ALIVE' BILL TO PROVIDE MEDICAL CARE TO INFANTS WHO SURVIVE FAILED ABORTIONS

It should have been an easy vote for every member of the Senate, but on Monday night, many Democrats demonstrated that their pro-choice stance also requires them to support infanticide. Sadly, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s recent comments advocating infanticide clearly framed the Democrats’ radical agenda. Their push to abort children reveals a hardened inner core that shocks the conscience.

Governor Northam’s rhetoric is what we can expect from abortion extremists in 2019. The failure of Congressional Democrats to condemn Northam’s comments, taken with their refusal to support this legislation, is stunning. Northam’s disgraceful words perfectly match his fellow Democrats’ disgraceful deeds on this issue.

What a tragedy for our country. Tennesseans and all Americans should demand better of their representatives. The Democrats’ continual failure to acknowledge the value of this bill is unfathomable to the Tennesseans I represent. It need not be this way.

The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act should be supported by even pro-choice members of Congress. This legislation protects children and defends the sanctity of life. Monday night’s vote was a disappointment, but there are many other actions Congress can take in the fight to protect human life.

For example, my Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act strips all abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, of federal funding under Title X of the Public Health Service Act. The rule recently released by President Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services accomplishes many of the same goals as the legislation I introduced last month so taxpayers can be sure their dollars only go toward funding women’s health programs, not big abortion providers.

However, this rule can be undone by future administrations.

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Legislation passed by Congress is the most effective and enduring way to ensure that federal funding for women’s health is used for its intended purpose and not for the ending of innocent human life.

Moving forward, we must do all we can to protect and defend innocent human life against the pro-abortion forces.