Ron Estes: “I thank Representative Babin, and I appreciate those words. Mr. Speaker, we, as fellow colleagues, have such an…”

“I thank Representative Babin, and I appreciate those words. Mr. Speaker, we, as fellow colleagues, have such an important role trying to work on how we bring forth those American principles and opportunities for everybody. In recent months, we have seen politicians from States around the country embrace late-term abortions and openly discuss infanticide. Individuals with Down syndrome would be among the most severely impacted by these tragic policies. To help respond to that, my colleagues and I have repeatedly called to bring forward the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act to the floor for a vote. This straightforward bill would require healthcare practitioners to give the same care to a child who has survived a botched abortion just as they would any other newborn child. Apparently, the bill has 182 cosponsors. Unfortunately, a vote on the bill has been blocked 21 times now by the majority. However, as we rise to commemorate World Down Syndrome Day, I call on my colleagues to consider this bill and any other one that would protect life and support those with Down syndrome. There are 250,000 people in America with Down syndrome. They live healthy, productive, happy lives, just like you and I do, and want to have the same hopes and dreams and goals. We need more awareness of what a diagnosis of Down syndrome really means. It means that a child simply has an extra chromosome and that nothing else about their life is different from you or me.…”