PA Democrat Refers to Miscarried Babies as Just a 'Mess on a Napkin', Pro-Life Advocates Outraged

The pro-life community is reeling after a Democrat lawmaker dismissed the need to handle the remains of a miscarried baby with care. 

She did so by saying the remains of a baby were nothing but a "mess on a napkin."  

There's a growing pro-life push both nationally and at the state level to either bury or cremate unborn children who have died through a miscarriage or abortion.  

The 'napkin' comment happened in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania during a hearing on a bill that focuses on the way health care facilities like Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider, handles the remains of unborn children. 

State Rep. Wendy Ullman (D) first referred to the unborn child as a "product of conception" as she discussed the bill.

"It refers specifically to the product of conception after fertilization which covers an awful lot of territory," Ullman said. 

She then went on to minimize the unborn child.

"I think we all understand the concept of a loss of a fetus, but we're also talking about a woman who is coming into a facility and is having cramps and...not to be concrete – an early miscarriage is just some mess on a napkin," Ullman added.

The Pennsylvania Family Institute quickly condemned the lawmaker's language.

"A miscarriage, no matter how early, does not result in a 'mess on a napkin' but the loss of a child," said Tom Shaheen, vice president for policy at the institute. He added, "the remains of human beings should be treated better than medical waste."

The bill is similar to the one that passed in Indiana and new national legislation introduced in Washington this week.

Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) is one of the bill's sponsors. He told CBN News that he considers Ullman's comment to be abhorrent and "representative of the radical left's celebration of death and complete disrespect for the sanctity of human life."

Braun's legislation corresponds with House bills sponsored by Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) and Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN).

The intent of the measures is to respect the unborn and promote accountability from the abortion industry. 

Pro-life advocates say they want to prevent abortion doctors like Kermit Gosnell from misusing the growing bodies of the unborn.

The Pennsylvania lawmaker's language is reminding some of the governor of Virginia, who earlier this year defended a type of infanticide on a radio program.

"The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if this is what the mother and the family desired and then a discussion would ensue between the physician and the mother," Gov. Ralph Northam (D-VA) said. 

It's the language that draws a stark contrast between the pro-abortion movement and those who want to protect the unborn.

Meanwhile, The Washington Times reported Thursday that hours after Northam's infanticide interview in January, a senior state official circulated talking points written by Planned Parenthood to calm the furor over his late-term abortion comments.

The memo was written by Planned Parenthood’s Alexsis Rodgers, who had previously worked on the staff of Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax. It included the talking points, “There is no such thing as abortion until birth” and “These are complicated medical decisions that families deserve to make in private without political interference."

Conservative legal watchdog Judicial Watch obtained more than 100 pages of emails through an open records requests. The emails show Gena Berger, Virginia deputy secretary of Health and Human Resources, received emails from Missy Wesolowski, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia.  

Berger then forwarded the email for Northam dated Jan. 30 to other state government officials, according to the newspaper.