President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he plans to sign an executive order aimed at mandating medical care is provided to babies that survive abortion.
“We believe in the joy of family, the blessing of freedom, and the dignity of work. And the eternal truth that every child, born and unborn, is made in the holy image of God,” Trump said in a pre-recorded announcement shown at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast.
“I will always protect the vital role of religion and prayer in American society, and I will always defend the sacred right to life,” he added.
“Today, I am 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! This is our sacrosanct moral duty.”
The text of the executive order wasn’t immediately available.
The Susan B. Anthony List, a nonprofit that seeks to reduce abortion in the United States, praised Trump after the announcement.
“What a contrast with Joe Biden who picked as his running mate Kamala Harris who voted NO on the #BornAlive act which would ensure equal medical care for all infants born alive,” the group said in a statement on Twitter.
The Biden campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Congressional Republicans have tried repeatedly, but unsuccessfully, to pass the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which would require medical workers who are present at the birth of a child who survives abortion to provide the same level of medical care they give to children born normally.
The act would also require medical workers to report violations to law enforcement authorities and penalize the killing of a born-alive child through fines or up to five years in prison.
Mothers of the children would be immune from prosecution or civil action.
Trump also said at the breakfast his administration was increasing federal funding for the neonatal research to ensure that every child “has the very best to thrive and to grow.”
And Trump told attendees that America is a strong nation because of Catholics and all people of faith.
Trump described himself as “the most pro-life president in our nation’s history.”
In response, Planned Parenthood Votes characterized the pro-life movement as the “anti-abortion movement” and called Trump’s promise one that would attack access to abortion.
Jenny Lawson, the executive director of Planned Parenthood Votes, said in the statement, “If it wasn’t clear before, it’s crystal clear now: A second Trump term would mean four more years of relentless, withering attacks on reproductive health care, including access to safe, legal abortion.”
