The right to life is timeless
By U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith
R-Nebraska
This month, Washington was filled with Americans showing their support for the voiceless as they’ve done every year since the March for Life began in 1974. While the pro-life movement has made historic strides in recent years, standing up for the unborn continues to be a deeply important and urgent cause. In recent decades, scientific advancements have accentuated the humanity of life in the womb. Simultaneously, pro-life Americans have faithfully advanced a culture of life which fully recognizes the dignity of the unborn in increasing measure.
As a member of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, I have consistently defended the right to life at the federal level. While the 14th Amendment to the Constitution has guaranteed legal protection for innocent human beings since its enshrinement in 1868, much work remains to be done to align public policy with this fundamental human right.
Recently, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America again awarded me an A+ rating for my efforts to protect life in the previous Congress. In the 119th Congress, I am again a cosponsor of the Life at Conception Act which would ensure recognition of constitutional protection for all persons from the moment of fertilization. The differences between unborn children and any newborn shortly after birth come down to differences in size, environment, stage of development, and degree of dependency. None of these differences provide any grounds to deprive an individual of his or her right to life.
Last week, with my support, House Republicans passed the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. I have long supported this legislation which would codify the same legal right to care for infants who survive an abortion procedure as would apply to any newborn. The fact such a bill is necessary in America to prevent the murder of babies born alive is chilling. Sadly, the horrors committed by Kermit Gosnell and the radical mentality of former Virginia Governor Ralph Northam indicating “a discussion would ensue” in such a circumstance are all too real. We cannot and will not sit silently by and allow these evils to continue in our country.
Safeguarding the rights and consciences of pro-life advocates and peaceful protestors is also vital. Just days after returning to office, President Trump announced 23 executive pardons for individuals unjustly prosecuted for exercising their First Amendment rights. Some of these were jailed because of how the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act of 1994 was repeatedly abused by the Biden administration to target pro-life Americans. To end such prosecutorial discrimination, I am a cosponsor of the FACE Act Repeal Act.
Our values, rooted in the dignity divinely endowed to every person, tell us every mother, father, and child is worthy of compassion and support no matter their circumstance or level of development. In an ever-evolving political landscape, the right to life stands as a timeless foundation for civilization, and my commitment to it is firm. Americans will not relent in the fight for justice for the women and children harmed through abortion, and I will never stop working to uphold the dignity of every human being, especially the voiceless.