By John M. Grondelski, Ph.D., Catholic World Report, January 25, 2025
John M. Grondelski (Ph.D., Fordham) was former associate dean of the School of Theology, Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey. He publishes regularly in the National Catholic Register and in theological journals. All views expressed herein are exclusively his own.
At one time, “birth” was supposedly a bright line that separated and differentiated a “clump of tissue” from a “person.” But that line has been eroding, as evidenced by the failure of the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors’ Protection Act to pass this last week.
On January 22nd, the United States Senate could not find 60 senators to vote to overcome a filibuster and pass the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors’ Protection Act. Although S.6 garnered a majority–52-47–it needed 60 votes to pass. Every Republican voted for it (except Tennessee Sen. Bill Haggerty, who was absent); every Democrat voted against it.
For those unfamiliar with its purpose, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors’ Protection Act would require medical care and protection of any child born alive in the course of a third trimester abortion. The bill sets bars against passive and active post-birth euthanasia. Against passive euthanasia, the bill requires the child to receive the same standard of immediate medical care of any baby born alive at that gestational age, followed by immediate hospitalization of the infant (remember, even late-term abortions occur in some clinics). …
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