Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, on Tuesday said he has reserved an empty seat in the House chamber's gallery during the State of the Union to represent millions of "aborted babies."

"I have reserved it to commemorate the lives of more than 55 million aborted babies, 'the chorus of voices that have never been heard in this world but are heard beautifully and clearly in the next world,'" King said in a statement.

The congressman said his seat on the House floor will also be empty during the address because he will be in the lawmakers' chapel "praying for God to raise up a leader whom he will use to restore the Soul of America."

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The decision comes in response to President Obama's decision to leave a seat empty in the first lady's box to commemorate victims of gun violence.

"The first tears we have seen him shed in seven years were for the victims of the tragic Sandy Hook School shooting," said King, who called Mr. Obama "the most pro-abortion president ever" and slammed him for not being emotional toward the "more than 9 million babies aborted under his watch."

Last week, in response to the White House's announcement about the seat left open for gun victims, GOP presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said as president, he would leave an empty seat for the "over 50 million unborn children killed" since Roe v. Wade.

King has endorsed Cruz for president.

The president is set to deliver his final State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at 9 p.m. on Tuesday.