House Dems quash bill mandating medical care for infants who survive abortions

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What are the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act and Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act?

Democrats voted against the latest efforts by Republicans to restrict abortion availability. Take a look at what each of these bills would do.

House Democrats on Friday rejected Republicans' attempt to recommit legislation that would have required medical care for infants who survive abortions.

With a 220-187 vote, Democrats blocked Republicans from adding the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Act as an amendment to a bill regulating tobacco sales. The Senate's version received a majority vote in the chamber but was unable to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to block a filibuster.

According to the bill's sponsor, Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., Democrats refused to bring her bill to the floor 80 times. After Friday's vote, she was incredulous on Twitter.

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"Democrats AGAIN blocked my bill requiring lifesaving medical care for babies who are born-alive," she said. "It breaks my heart to find that we must defend lifesaving care for newborn babies. I will not stop until we get a vote on this critically important bill."

Only three Democrats supported the bill: Reps. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., Ben McAdams, D-Utah, and Collin Peterson, D-Minn.

Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser ripped Democrats for "supporting infanticide."

“Americans of all political stripes are disgusted by this extreme, inhumane position and we are confident that will be reflected at the ballot box this November," she said in a statement provided to Fox News.

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"President Trump stands ready to sign the popular, compassionate Born-Alive legislation into law. It is national Democrats -- from the party’s leading presidential contenders to Nancy Pelosi -- who stand squarely in the way of protecting these innocent children from being left to die."

Dr. Kristyn Brandi, of Physicians for Reproductive Health, told Vox that the Senate version could hinder providers' ability to practice and contained wording that would leave doctors vulnerable to lawsuits. Brandi also reportedly claimed a "false narrative" surrounding the bill. She said she had never heard of a situation where a child was born after a failed abortion attempt.

Fox News previously interviewed Gianna Jessen who said she survived a botched saline abortion, in which she was "burned alive." A group known as Faces of Choice exists to bring awareness to people born alive after failed abortions.

Tension surrounding Friday's vote reflected a broader battle taking place in states across the country. State legislatures have been battling groups like Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to keep newly-passed abortion restrictions on the books.

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Meanwhile, Democrats have come under fire for supporting what critics call "extreme" measures related to abortion and newly-born infants.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, in particular, backed the decision to withhold care from infants based on the decision of mothers.

"When we talk about third-trimester abortions, these are done with the consent of obviously the mother, with the consent of the physician -- more than one physician, by the way -- and it’s done in cases where there may be severe deformities. There may be a fetus that’s non-viable," he said in January 2019.

Former Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg also faced backlash over the issue when he indicated to "The View" that he wouldn't support restrictions on infanticide.

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"What if a woman wanted to invoke infanticide after a baby was born -- you'd be comfortable with that?" co-host Meghan McCain asked. Buttigieg balked at McCain's argument.

"We're talking about families that may have picked out a name -- may be assembling a crib -- and they learn something excruciating and are faced with this terrible choice -- and I don't know what to tell them morally about what they should do," he said. "I just know that I trust her and her decision medically or morally isn't going to be any better because the government is commanding her to do it in a certain way."