House Minority Whip Katherine Clark Shares Heartbreaking Abortion Story As Congress Passes 'Born Alive' Abortion Bill

House Minority Whip Katherine Clark delivered an emotional testimony this week, sharing a personal plea amid a heated debate over the Republican-led "Born Alive" abortion bill, which was passed by the GOP-majority House Thursday.

The legislation seeks to criminalize certain medical providers in rare abortion-related scenarios.

"When my doctor told me my pregnancy wasn't viable and that I needed an abortion procedure, I was devastated," Clark posted on X alongside a video of her testimony, "What have Republicans achieved by injecting politics into these moments of grief? A country where one-third of counties don't have a single OB/GYN."

The bill, which passed 217-204, threatens doctors with up to five years in prison for failing to resuscitate infants born alive during abortion attempts, even in cases involving severe medical complications.

Clark recounted her own experience and described the anguish of learning her baby no longer had a heartbeat during a routine sonogram. "I asked one more time, please check that that heartbeat is there before they did this procedure," she said. "These are horrible, painful situations that women and families, expected parents, find themselves in."

Federal law already mandates emergency care for infants who survive abortions, a rare occurrence. However, this bill introduces stricter penalties and has drawn criticism from Democrats who argue it vilifies doctors and burdens grieving families.

"They're treating doctors like criminals, demonizing heartbroken women and accusing mothers of killing their newborn healthy infants," Clark said.

Republicans have largely dismissed such concerns. Thursday marks the second time the House has approved the legislation.

The measure is unlikely to advance in the Democrat-controlled Senate. Still, it signals the GOP's commitment to anti-abortion policies, even as 63% of the public believes abortion should be legal in all or most cases, the Pew Research Center found.

"OB/GYNs are fleeing states with abortion bans and leaving the field altogether," Clark said, adding one-third of U.S. counties lack obstetric care, with half of Georgia's counties entirely devoid of obstetricians.

"If you truly care about the lives of women and children," Clark implored her colleagues, "you will vote no on this bill."