Claim: J.D. Vance claimed that Walz signed a bill that removed requirements for doctors to provide life-saving care to babies who survive botched abortions. He also claimed that Kamala Harris supports suing Catholic nuns for violating freedom of conscience.
Verdict: True. In 2023, Walz signed a bill that would remove the state's requirement to “protect the life and health” of infants born alive from botched abortions and replace it with broader “care” requirements.
Harris also supports the Women's Health Protection Act, which would eliminate protections for Catholic workers and others who refuse to participate in abortions for reasons of religion or conscience.
baby born alive
During the debate, Vance confronted Walz about the law, saying:
You're free to disagree with me on this and explain it to me, but I read the Minnesota law you signed into law and it says that a doctor who presides over an abortion in which the baby survives has no legal restrictions on that doctor. It says that it is not imposed. A duty to provide life-saving care to babies who survive failed late-term abortions. That is fundamentally barbaric.
Walz denied Vance's accusations, claiming: “That's not true. That's not true. That's not what the law says.”
But in May 2023, Waltz signed SF 2995, which repealed state law requiring: The requirement that health care workers “protect the life and health” of infants born alive as a result of an abortion was replaced with a requirement that they provide “care.” especially the minnesota house stated on the website The state's “born alive'' infant regulations are “It becomes clear that infants born alive require care that is consistent with appropriate medical practice, rather than necessarily efforts to save their lives. ”
SF2995 also repealed a 2015 law that required states to report either: Whether the baby was born alive as a result of the abortion, what steps were taken to protect the baby's life, and whether the baby survived.
Before Walz signed a mandate requiring life-saving care for infants born alive from abortions and stopped requiring the state to report such cases, the Minnesota Department of Health officially took office in 2019. Since then, at least eight cases of infants born alive after botched abortions have been reported. Governor. daily signal first reported These eight cases have brought national attention to the issue.
Between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021, doctors performed five abortions that resulted in babies being born alive. condition report Read.
No steps were taken to protect the life of the infant, who had a fetal abnormality, resulting in her “death shortly after birth,” the report said. In two cases, “comfort care was provided as planned, but the infants did not survive.” In two additional cases, the babies were “fertile.” No life-saving measures were taken and the infant did not survive, the report continues.
From January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019, The state reported After three abortions, the babies ended up dying.
In one case, a fetal abnormality was reported and the baby's treatment was handed over to another doctor after the baby's heart beat for two minutes. In the end, nothing was done to save the child's life, and the child did not survive, the report said. In another case, “comfort care was provided as planned, but the infant could not be saved.” In the third case, the baby was viable. No steps were taken to save the baby's life and the infant did not survive, the report details.
The state reported no infants born alive from botched abortions in 2020 or 2022.
Walz made Minnesota the first state in the nation to codify abortion through legislation after a Supreme Court reversal, before repealing life-saving requirements and ending requiring states to report infants born alive after abortion. . Roe v. Wade. Minnesota is currently one of nine states that include Washington, DC. limit For abortion, this means that abortion is technically legal in the last month of pregnancy.
Catholic nuns' claims
During the discussion, Vance also asked Walz:
Want to force Catholic hospitals to perform abortions against their will? Because Kamala Harris has supported suing Catholic nuns for violating freedom of conscience. By respecting people's freedom of conscience and making our country more baby and family friendly, we can become a larger and more diverse country.
Harris appears to support suing nuns and other religious figures who oppose pro-abortion efforts. I support of Women's Health Protection Act.
Harris said she would approve federal legislation to restore it. Roe vs. Wadecurrently this is expected to be achieved through the Women's Health Protection Act of 2023. The bill would repeal state pro-life laws and allow abortions throughout the United States.
Specifically, the bill break the ice Protections under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. Forbidden government fromThis places a great burden on people when practicing their religion. ” This law alsohave a private right of action File a lawsuit.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops warned of a 2022 carve-out in a letter to lawmakers.
“Contrary to recent claims, the WHPA clearly seeks to force religious health professionals and religious hospitals to perform abortions against their beliefs,” the letter said. “Otherwise, there is no reason to specifically state that the WHPA would repeal the long-standing, bipartisan Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which has never been passed by Congress before. is.”
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her at @thekat_Hamilton.
