Freshman Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) on Monday proposed a bill with dozens of other House members to ensure the Constitution’s “right to life” is applied to the unborn.

“I have always believed the greatest duty of society is to protect the most defenseless among us,” Mooney said Tuesday. “There are thousands of unborn babies who need us to fight tirelessly on the issue of human life.”

“A human life is a precious thing and anything I can do to fight for the most vulnerable among us, I will,” he added.

Mooney’s Life At Conception Act is based on the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which says among other things that the government cannot “make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.” It also says no government can “deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,” and ensures “equal protection of the laws.” Congress has the power to enforce the 14th Amendment, and Mooney said his bill is justified by that language. “To implement equal protection for the right to life of each born and preborn human person… the Congress hereby declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being,” the bill states. The bill defines “human being” and “human person” to include “each and every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.”

Mooney’s legislation has 53 cosponsors, all Republicans with the exception of Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.). His bill is the latest version of a proposal that was last introduced by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) — in the last Congress, Jordan’s bill ended with 130 cosponsors.

Despite that strong showing of initial support, GOP leaders last month had difficulty getting support for a bill to ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Several Republican women opposed language requiring women to report rape or incest before having the option of abortion for those reasons.

Read Mooney’s legislation here:

F:\M14\MOONWV\MOONWV_002.XML [113H1091] ……………………………………………………………

(Original Signature of Member)

114TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION

HR.________

To implement equal protection under the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution for the right to life of each born and preborn human person.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. MOONEY of West Virginia introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on (undeclared)

A BILL

To implement equal protection under the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution for the right to life of each born and preborn human person.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Life at Conception Act’’.

SEC. 2. RIGHT TO LIFE.

To implement equal protection for the right to life of each born and preborn human person, and pursuant to the duty and authority of the Congress, including Congress’ power under article I, section 8, to make necessary and proper laws, and Congress’ power under section of the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the Congress hereby declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being. However, nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize the prosecution of any woman for the death of her unborn child.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

For purposes of this Act:

(1) HUMAN PERSON; HUMAN BEING.—The terms ‘‘human person’’ and ‘‘human being’’ include each and every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.

(2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ used in the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States and other applicable provisions of the Constitution includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and each other territory or possession of the United States