Guy Reschenthaler on Abortion

End the barbaric practice of dismemberment abortions

In a 10-5 vote along party lines, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved Senate Bill 3. State Sen. Guy Reschenthaler voted for the bill. "I am proud of voting today to protect the sanctity and dignity of life by ending the barbaric practice of dismemberment abortions," Reschenthaler said, "and voting to better align the law with modern medicine by moving restrictions on most abortions back from 6 months set in 1992 to 5 months."

The bill would curtail dilation and evacuation abortions--in which instruments are used to remove the fetus sometimes pulling off limbs and appendages. However, the bill does not refer to dilation and evacuation, but to "dismemberment abortion," a term popularized by anti-abortion advocates, but not recognized by the medical community.

Sponsored bill to protect infant survivors of abortion.

S.311/H.R.962: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act: Congress finds the following:

• If an abortion results in the live birth of an infant, the infant is a legal person for all purposes under the laws of the United States, and entitled to all the protections of such laws.
• (2) Any infant born alive after an abortion or within a hospital, clinic, or other facility has the same claim to the protection of the law that would arise for any newborn, or for any person who comes to a hospital, clinic, or other facility for screening and treatment or otherwise becomes a patient within its care.
• In the case of an attempted abortion that results in a child born alive, any health care practitioner present at the time the child is born alive shall exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care practitioner would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age.

Opposing argument from Rewire.com, "Born Alive Propaganda," by Calla Hales, 4/12/2019: From restrictive bans at various points of pregnancy to a proposed death penalty for seeking care, both federal and state legislators are taking aim at abortion rights. The goal? To make abortion illegal, criminalizing patients and providers in the process. One kind of bill making a recent resurgence is the "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act." These bills aim to further the false narrative that abortions regularly occur immediately before or, according to the president, at the time of birth. Intentional action to end the life of an infant is already illegal. This is covered by federal and state infanticide laws. These bills do nothing but vilify physicians who provide reproductive health care.

Legislative outcome Referred to Committee in House; Senate motion to proceed rejected, 56-41-3 (60 required).