By Cheryl Sullenger

Washington, D.C. – At the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast on September 23, 2020, President Donald J. Trump announced that he will sign an executive order protecting babies who are born alive prematurely or during abortions.

“Today I’m announcing that I will be signing the Born Alive executive order to ensure that all precious babies born alive, no matter their circumstances, receive the medical care that they deserve,” said President Trump, adding that it was his “sacrosanct moral duty” to do so.

In 2003, Congress passed the Federal Born Alive Infant Protection Act, but that act had no enforcement clause and has been essentially ignored by abortionists who conduct late-term abortions.  Since then, legislative efforts to strengthen the law have been unsuccessful.

There is ample evidence to support strengthening protections for these vulnerable newborns.

Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell brought the issue to the forefront when he was convicted in state court in 2013 of three counts of First Degree Murder for intentionally killing late-term babies who were born alive during his shoddy abortion procedures conducted in this squalid Women’s Medical Society abortion facility.  Operation Rescue reported on that trial from the courtroom, helping to draw national attention to Gosnell’s heinous crimes.

Then in 2015, the Center for Medical Progress conducted an undercover journalistic project that revealed babies were routinely born alive at Planned Parenthood facilities – with hearts still beating – for the purpose of harvesting the organs for sale to labs or middleman organ procurement companies.

“We are so thankful to President Trump for his willingness to protect innocent babies who are born alive during abortions or are in danger due to premature birth.  Operation Rescue has long been an advocate for stronger protections for these newborns, who have been left vulnerable to unspeakable atrocities,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman, who also served on the Board of the Center for Medical Progress. “We do, as a nation, have a moral duty to protect the innocent. President Trump understands that, and is leading the way to defend the defenseless like no one before him. We are very grateful to have him as our President.”