WASHINGTON, D.C., January 27, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) — A bill to legally protect unborn children from the moment of conception is back in the U.S. Senate.
A day before the 43rd March for Life, Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, introduced for the third time the “Life at Conception Act.” Described by supporters as a legislative fix to the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion nationwide, Paul has introduced the bill twice before.
The “Life at Conception Act” aims to apply the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause to unborn children.
Backed by Republican Sens. Mike Crapo of Idaho, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, and Jim Risch of Idaho as original cosponsors, Paul attempted to short-circuit the often lengthy committee approval process by invoking Rule XIV of the Senate. The rule allows bills to bypass committees, and generally eases the process for Senate leadership to call bills up for votes.
In a press release, Paul said, “It is time for Congress to recognize the right to life is guaranteed to all Americans in the Declaration of Independence, and it is the constitutional duty of all members of Congress to ensure this belief is upheld.”
“The Life at Conception Act legislatively declares what most Americans believe and what science has long known – that human life begins at the moment of conception, and therefore, is entitled to legal protection from that point forward. Only when America chooses, remembers, and restores her respect for life will we rediscover our moral bearings and truly find our way.”
Paul, a libertarian-leaning senator who is trailing in his effort to become the 2016 GOP presidential nominee, made waves last year when he challenged Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz on her support for late-term abortion.
However, the pro-life candidate and officeholder faced criticism in 2013 when he said he supports “thousands of exceptions” to his general belief that abortion should be illegal. However, his office insisted to LifeSiteNews at the time that he is fully pro-life. He also faced criticism in 2014, when he said he was “not opposed to birth control” and cited the abortifacient Plan B as a contraceptive option he supports being legal.
