Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL.) has spoken out against Florida’s pro-abortion Amendment 4, which is on the ballot for this November.
Rubio wrote in The Floridian, “Amendment 4 would allow abortion on demand, for virtually any reason, right up until the moment of birth. It would gut Florida’s parental consent law, remove safety standards that protect women, and open the door to mandatory taxpayer-funded abortion.”
Rubio then outlined how the amendment involves “no limits, no parents, no safety, and no guardrails.”
The proposed amendment would allow abortion until viability (around 24 weeks) or “when necessary,” Rubio stated, thus removing all limits on legal abortions.
The amendment would also remove a parental consent requirement for minors to undergo abortions, Rubio continued. While it permits parental notification for an abortion procedure, it does not require that parents consent to the procedure.
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The amendment would allow any health care provider to approve an abortion after viability.
Rubio added, “Under Florida law, that could mean anyone from the clinic receptionist to a physical therapist or a nutritionist.”
Finally, the amendment prohibits any law that “delays or restricts” abortion. Rubio extrapolated that this could include the reversal of bans on taxpayer-funded abortion, citing the American Civil Liberty Union’s (ACLU) lawsuit against Michigan’s ban on taxpayer-funded abortions. The ACLU is also supportive of Amendment 4.
Rubio then highlighted some of the milestones in prenatal development, showing the humanity of the unborn child. At six weeks, the heart begins to beat; at 10 weeks, the fingers and toes are fully formed; at 15 weeks, the baby can feel pain; and at 21 weeks, a baby has a 50% chance of surviving outside of the womb.
He added, “And at 39 weeks, Amendment 4 would legalize that baby’s death.”
“I am unapologetically pro-life because it is our most fundamental right. Without life, the freedom of speech, assembly, and all the other rights we cherish are impossible,” Rubio stated. “These are not easy conversations, and policy decisions should not be taken lightly, but we owe it to all of those who are yet to be born to have an honest conversation.”
LifeNews Note: Grace Porto writes for CatholicVote, where this column originally appeared.
