OKC Standard

Senator James Lankford, Republican Conference Vice Chair and Chairman of the Senate Values Action Team, addressed his colleagues on the Senate floor urging them to pass the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Lankford had introduced the bill alongside 46 other Senators last week, but it was blocked by Senate Democrats.

During his remarks, Lankford referenced a statement from a colleague about equality and freedom. He stated, "One of my colleagues came to this floor and made this statement, ‘At the center of this debate is whether we believe in the premise from the Declaration of Independence, that all are created equal, that freedom belongs to everyone, and that women deserve to be treated as equal citizens.’ I actually couldn’t agree more with my colleague because that same Declaration of Independence, right next to that statement about everyone being created equal, also includes a simple little comment that says ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’"

Lankford emphasized the core question regarding newborns who survive abortions: "And our question on this particular bill is when that child is born and she’s crying on the table does she have the opportunity for life liberty and the pursuit of happiness or not? That’s all this bill does."

He argued for national values stating: "This bill should be a simple process. To say this is not who we are as Americans. As Americans we respect the opportunity for life for that child that’s fully delivered. And then we determine what we’re going to do."

Highlighting vulnerability he concluded: "Just because a baby can’t defend herself doesn’t mean she’s disposable it means she’s vulnerable. And that means we as a nation should determine what we’re going to do with the life of the most vulnerable."