House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) is moving a discharge petition forward next week that will mandate a vote on a bill requiring doctors and medical staff to offer the same care to babies that survive abortions as those who never underwent the procedure. With so many babies being killed after failed abortions, Scalise believes there must be a measure in place to protect the rights of these infants.

He is spearheading the effort to pass the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act along with Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.). Two hundred eighteen signatures are required to get around Democratic leadership.

“Next week, on April 2, next Tuesday, I will be formally filing the discharge petition on the Born Alive Act,” said Scalise. “Ann Wagner will be my first signator and there are a lot of members that want to sign that, and frankly we’re going to find out real soon which Democrats truly are pro-life.”

“So, you know, for all the Democrats who ran saying they were pro-life, this is going to be the true test,” the Louisiana Republican continued. “There are a lot of people a lot of the country that are interested in this. This is an issue that has gotten a lot more attention and as it gets more attention people are shocked that a baby that can be killed after it’s born alive, outside the womb, including many pro-choice people who don’t support that procedure.”

The effort to force a vote unsurprisingly comes after the controversial comments made by Virginia Governor Ralph Northman (D) last month.

“If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen: the infant would be delivered; the infant would be kept comfortable; the infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired,” said Northman. “And then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.”

The Born Alive Act has become a major topic of interest among House Republicans since the unsettling remarks went viral. GOP lawmakers have attempted to pass the Act with unanimous consent 20 times since the 116th Congress started, and Democrats have blocked the request every time.

With the new late-term abortion laws putting the lives of viable babies at risk, Republicans refuse to stop pushing the measure forward.

Evidence from a sample of just [three] states proves baby survival after botched abortions [are] more common than many previously assumed.

In 2017, Florida reported 11 babies were delivered post-abortion. This is followed by 10 reported in Arizona the same year and [three] babies in Minnesota. Laws in each of these states protect born-alive infants.

“There are babies being born alive and then ultimately murdered,” said Scalise at a recent press conference.

House pro-life caucus leader Chris Smith (R-NJ) shared the story of one horrific infant murder that took place at an abortion clinic in Florida at the same press conference.

“The clinic owner took the baby who was gasping for air, cut her umbilical cord, threw her into a biohazard bag and put the bag in the trash. Like so much garbage,” said Smith.

With 218 signatures, Republicans can circumvent Democrat opposition, bringing the legislation to the floor.