WASHINGTON — The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ pro-life committee Sept. 26 applauded President Donald Trump’s signing the “Born Alive Executive Order” to ensure babies born alive receive care.
The order, which Trump signed the evening of Sept. 25, means “babies born prematurely or with disabilities receive a basic medical assessment and appropriate care as required by our federal laws,” said Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, who heads the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities.
“In addition to our laws, basic human rights demand that no baby born alive should be abandoned and left to die due to being disabled or premature,” the archbishop said. “Every human life, regardless of its stage of development or condition, is precious and irreplaceable and deserves a shot at life.”
Trump’s action orders the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to make certain federally funded facilities comply with current law to provide life-saving medical care for infants who survive abortions, are born prematurely or are born with disabilities. The order also calls for more funding for research “to improve outcomes” for these babies.
