2025: Begich Voted For The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, Which Would Mandate Health Care Workers To Provide Proper Medical Care To An Infant Born After A Failed Abortion. In January 2025, according to Congressional Quarterly, Begich voted for Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which would "require health care practitioners to provide the same care to a child that is 'born alive' after an abortion or attempted abortion as they would for a child born at the same gestational age and to ensure the child is immediately transported and admitted to a hospital; require hospital and clinic practitioners and employees to report any knowledge of failures to provide such care; and impose criminal fines and penalties for failures to meet these requirements. It would state that a child born alive under these conditions is a legal person under U.S. law, entitled to the protections of U.S. law, and it would specifically make any act that kills or attempts to kill such a child punishable as murder or attempted murder. The bill also would prohibit the prosecution of the mother of a child born alive after an abortion or attempted abortion and permit such mothers to seek relief through civil action against any person who violates the measure's requirements, including monetary and punitive damages. The bill would also change the chapter name of Title 18, Chapter 74 of the U.S. Code from 'Partial-Birth Abortions' to 'Abortions.'" The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 217-204, thus, the bill was sent to the Senate. [House Vote 27, [1/23/25]{.underline}; Congressional Quarterly, [1/23/25]{.underline}; Congressional Actions, [H.R. 21]{.underline}]
Different Iterations Of The Bill Have Been Introduced Since 2015. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Lawmakers have introduced iterations of this legislation in both chambers since 2015. The House passed similar bills in January 2018 and again in January 2023 after reclaiming control of the chamber. As the minority in 2019, House Republicans unsuccessfully attempted to trigger a vote through other procedural tools." [Congressional Quarterly, [1/23/25]{.underline}]
Republicans Called The Bill "Anti-Infanticide" Rather Than "Anti-Abortion." According to the Hill, "Republicans have framed the bill as not being anti-abortion but anti-infanticide." [Hill, [1/23/25]{.underline}]
Democrats Called The Bill Redundant, Solely Criminalizing Doctors, As Killing Born-Alive Infants Following An Abortion Attempt Is Already Illegal. According to the Hill, "Democrats have criticized the legislation as being redundant, as killing infants born alive after an attempted termination, a rare occurrence, is already illegal, and the bill only serves to 'criminalize' doctors. Health care practitioners who fail to comply with the law would face fines and up to five years in jail or both." [Hill, [1/23/25]{.underline}]