Pregnant students are sometimes discriminated against by their schools, either intentionally or unintentionally and there is a concerning lack of awareness about the resources and rights available to them. Due to a lack of services and discrimination, these women may...
News
Latest News
Rubio, Colleagues Reintroduce Intelligence Community Workforce Agility Protection Act
Currently, intelligence community civilians are subject to certain tax penalties for job-related relocation requirements, but active-duty military servicemembers are not subjected to the same penalties. These tax benefits, including the ability to deduct moving...
Rubio Delivers Remarks at Senate Intelligence Hearing
Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Marco Rubio (R-FL) delivered opening remarks and questioned witnesses at a hearing on countering China’s influence in the United States. Watch Rubio’s opening remarks here as well as Part I and Part II of...
Rubio-led Resolution to Raise Awareness for Spinal Cord Injuries Passes Senate
Approximately 302,000 Americans live with spinal cord injuries. To help these people achieve a better quality of life, there is a need to increase education and invest in research. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) successfully led a bipartisan...
Rubio, Warnock Reintroduce Protecting Sensitive Personal Data Act
Foreign investment is one of the legal means that adversaries, like China, can use to collect Americans’ data, exasperating both privacy and national security risks. To counter this, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) reintroduced the...
ICYMI: Rubio Joins Special Report
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Special Report with Bret Baier to discuss the impending government shutdown, the possibility of a Saudi-Israeli normalization deal, and the indictment of Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ). See below for highlights and watch the full...
Rubio, Inhofe, Colleagues Reintroduce the Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and their colleagues in reintroducing the Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act (S. 75) which would ban a doctor from performing an abortion being sought because the unborn child has Down syndrome. Congressman Ron Estes (R-KS) re-introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
In addition to Rubio and Inhofe, Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), James Lankford (R-OK), John Thune (R-SD), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Tom Cotton (R-AR), James Risch (R-ID), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), John Boozman (R-AR), Cynthia Lummis (WY), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Ben Sasse (R-NE), John Hoeven (R-ND), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Mike Braun (R-IN) cosponsored the legislation.
As prenatal screenings increase in availability and accessibility, more and more women learn whether or not their baby has Down syndrome prior to the baby’s birth. Sadly, many of these lives are aborted following a diagnosis—over two-thirds of unborn babies diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted in the United States, and the population of individuals in Iceland with Down syndrome is being virtually eradicated altogether. The Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act would enact a federal ban on the performance of an abortion with the knowledge that a pregnant woman is seeking an abortion, in whole or in part, on the basis of a belief that her unborn child has Down syndrome. This legislation would not penalize the expectant mother in any way.
“The right to life is the most fundamental and sacred of all human rights, and it is unconscionable that some would deny an unborn baby that right because of a Down syndrome diagnosis,” Rubio said. “Every single human being – regardless of their chromosome count – is entitled to the protection of our laws from the very moment of conception. I celebrate the incredible contributions, talents, and joy members of the Down syndrome community bring to the world, and I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing legislation to protect and uphold their right to life.”
“Today, I am introducing a bill alongside my colleagues to prohibit abortions that are sought because of a Down syndrome diagnosis—something that should already be law,” Inhofe said. “All children should be given the chance at life and our friends in the Down syndrome community are no exception. To take away a child’s life because of his or her chromosome count is unthinkable and I am proud to take a stand today on behalf of those who cannot. As we mark the annual March for Life, we must continue to affirm the sanctity of life.”
For quotes from additional cosponsors, click here.
Ten states (AR, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, ND, OH, TN, UT) have enacted legislation to prohibit abortion on the basis of Down syndrome. Courts have enjoined the law in several of the states. Several additional states have introduced similar legislation. While the Supreme Court declined to take up Indiana’s Down syndrome abortion ban in 2019, Justice Thomas made it clear that the Supreme Court has not “decide[d] whether the Constitution requires states to allow eugenic abortions.”
The Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act would:
- Make it illegal for a doctor to knowingly perform an abortion being sought because the baby has or may have Down syndrome, or, if the doctor does not know whether Down syndrome is a contributing factor, requires the doctor to first ask the mother if she is aware of any test results indicating that the child has Down syndrome and to inform her of prohibitions put in place by the law.
- Prohibit anyone from forcing a woman to have an abortion because the baby has Down syndrome.
- Impose a fine and/or imprisonment of up to five years on those who violate the law, and pulls federal funds under existing federal disability anti-discrimination laws from associated abortion clinics.
- Protect the mother by barring her from being prosecuted or held liable for any violation of the bill and puts in place guardrails to protect her privacy in all court proceedings.