(CNSNews.com) - Speaking at the Faith and Freedom Coalition's Road to Majority conference on Friday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said it was “high time” to protect unborn children after 20 weeks in the womb, and “we're failing as a country” by referring pregnant mothers to Planned Parenthood.
“I think we're failing as a country when the best thing we can offer to a scared young mom-to-be is a referral to Planned Parenthood. Is that the best we can do? I don't think so,” said McConnell.
He also said the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act will be getting a vote, after not even getting a hearing in the last Congress.
“The Senate is now in a place where the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, a bill that protects life after 20 weeks in the womb, a bill that in the past in the Senate couldn't even get a hearing, I promise you will be getting a vote. So that's not only good news for pro-lifers, that's good news for our entire country,” McConnell said.
He continued, “It's about time we begin the process of putting America in the ranks of most other civilized countries, by protecting unborn children after 20 weeks in the womb. It's high time we did that, because I don't know about you, but I think we're failing as a country when the best thing we can offer to a scared young mom-to-be is a referral to Planned Parenthood. Is that the best we can do? I don't think so.”
Last week Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) introduced the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act in the Senate.
“I hope to have a discussion in America as to when do you become who you are. At what point in time is it appropriate for the government to step in and provide protections for the most vulnerable people in society -- the unborn?” Graham said in a news conference introducing the bill.
The Road to Majority Conference is an annual conference of faith and conservative activists sponsored by the Faith and Freedom coalition in partnership with the Concerned Women of America.
Other speakers on Friday include Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.), former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-Fla.), Dr. Ben Carson, Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.), Gov. John Kasich (R-Ohio), Gov. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.).