Kermit Gosnell Trial: Sen. Mike Lee Proposes Resolution on Clinic Oversight

Hopefully the trial of Kermit Gosnell has allowed both sides of the abortion debate to agree on one thing: Gosnell’s actions were horrendous.

On Monday, Senator Mike Lee(R-Utah) plans to introduce a resolution calling for more oversight of abortion facilities and their practices. A resolution, for those unfamiliar, expresses a non-binding position of the Senate to deal with the Senate’s internal affairs. This can often lead to the creation of a special committee. Resolutions also do not require action by the House of Representatives.

Regardless of one’s views on the legality of abortion, we all (or hopefully most of us) can come together at least agree that what Kermit Gosnell did was both illegal and disgusting. Both sides of the aisle have attempted to use the case for political gain, as is to be expected. That should not divide us on the fact that we cannot allow activity like Gosnell’s.

The Daily Caller has released an article laying out the basics of Lee's resolution after obtaining an advance copy. Lee calls for increased oversight of abortion facilities and practices. The grand jury in the Gosnell case was presented with reports that followed his illegal activities for two decades and all went unnoticed until Gosnell’s facility was raided during an illegal drug investigation. A selection of Lee’s resolution reads:

“Whereas the Report of the Grand Jury documented a pattern, over a period of 2 decades, at the Women’s Medical Society of Philadelphia of untrained and uncertified personnel performing abortions, non-medical personnel administering medications, grossly unsanitary and dangerous conditions, violations of law regarding storage of human remains, and, above all, instances of willful murder of infants born alive by severing their spinal cords.”

The Gosnell case, regardless of its use by proponents and opponents of abortion, illustrates the fact that some people are willing to disregard the law. What Gosnell did was outside of the law, and passing more laws to combat such abuses may not exactly prevent this type of occurrence. What Senator Lee is proposing involves further oversight and paying further attention to the laws currently in place.

Abortion is clearly an emotional issue for many. The fact is, the laws on the books now are law and those ought to be enforced. Resolutions such as this provide an excellent common ground for both Senate Democrats and Republicans to come together and work toward enforcement and proper oversight of these laws. Further regulatory oversight both promotes care for both women undergoing the procedure, and prevents what is legally murder (a baby killed after it is born alive). The response to the Gosnell case ought to be a bipartisan one, and hopefully this resolution will express just that.