Reps. Steve Scalise, R-La., and Ann Wagner, R-Mo., announced Wednesday they hope to force a floor vote in the House on a bill that would require medical care protections for babies born during an abortion, The Hill reported.
It is part of a GOP strategy to try and keep "late-term abortions" in the spotlight, an issue they hope will put vulnerable Democrats in a difficult position and energize their conservative base, according to Politico.
The renewed push for the legislation comes after President Donald Trump focused on it in his State of the Union address Tuesday and following a statement by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northan that appeared to support infanticide as he defended a Democratic proposal for late-term abortion liberalization in the state, according to the Daily Mail.
Scalise, the House minority whip, and Wagner said they plan to introduce a discharge petition, which would permit them to circumvent Democratic leadership and bring the legislation to the floor if they can get the signature of at least 218 members in the House.
Republicans only hold 199 seats.
The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act would require medical practitioners to give the same level of care to infants who survive abortions as those who did not undergo the procedure. Hospital employees would be mandated to report violations, and violators would face fines or up to five years in prison.
"I introduced this resolution to begin the process of forcing a vote on Congresswoman Wagner's important piece of legislation, especially after horrific actions taken in New York and Virginia to permit infanticide," Scalise said. "The silence from Congressional Democrats is deafening and shameful."
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