The state House of Representatives last week approved, by a vote of 117-76, a bill that would prohibit an abortion because of a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome.
“Those with Down syndrome should not be discriminated against because they have an extra chromosome and they should not be denied the chance at life. These are truly lives worth living,” said York County Republican Rep. Kate Klunk, the bill’s sponsor.
Reps. Tom Murt, Martina White and Mike Driscoll voted for the bill. Reps. Kevin Boyle, Ed Neilson, Joe Hohenstein, Jason Dawkins, Jared Solomon and Isabella Fitzgerald voted against it.
“Today, our elected leaders in the PA House were asked to make a choice: should people have the right to murder a baby because it may have Down syndrome,” Pennsylvania Catholic Conference executive director Eric Failing said in a statement. “One-hundred seventeen legislators declared that people with Down syndrome have a life worth living. We should all pray that those who voted against the bill will have a conversion of heart.”
The bill heads to the Senate. Gov. Tom Wolf has threatened a veto.
“Today’s vote sends a clear and compassionate message: no human being should be targeted for death by abortion because of a disability,” said Michael Geer, president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute. ••
