The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation Sept. 26 to provide legal protection to all newly born infants, including those who survive abortions.

The House vote was 380-15 on a pro-life measure that was extremely difficult even for abortion-rights advocates to oppose, especially in an election year. Although a Senate version has not been introduced, supporters are hopeful senators will take up the House bill before adjournment, which is scheduled Oct. 6.

The Born-alive Infants Protection Act, H.R. 4292, would establish in federal law that a baby living outside his mother's womb is legally a person. Though the long-standing principle in law has been that born-alive infants are entitled to legal protection, the legislation is necessary because of recent developments in law, academia and medicine, supporters say.

The developments calling that principle into question include the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June striking down a state ban on partial-birth abortion, which involves the killing of a nearly totally delivered child. The bill's backers also point to a July opinion by the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals. A three-judge panel struck down New Jersey's pan on partial-birth abortion, saying the procedure could not be a "partial birth" because a "woman seeking an abortion is plainly not seeking to give birth," according to the National Right to Life Committee.

In addition, some in American academia, including Princeton University professor Peter Singer, contend parents should be able to kill newly born babies who are handicapped or unhealthy.

Also, babies who survive abortion are being allowed to die without care and are being targeted for such deaths. At a July hearing before a House subcommittee, ...