Lauren Boebert Floats Adding Human Babies to Endangered Species List

Republican Representative Lauren Boebert flashed photos of baby fetuses during a House hearing Thursday on endangered species.

The Colorado congresswoman showed the images as the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries discussed potential improvements to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in relation to its 50th anniversary. The hearing focused on de-listing the grey wolf and the grizzly bear.

Boebert, a staunch foe of abortion, was selected to serve on the subcommittee as part of the current Congress. She has either sponsored or co-sponsored multiple abortion-related bills since December.

"I do want to say before my opening remarks, you know, since we're talking about the Endangered Species Act, I'm just wondering if my colleagues on the other side would put babies on the endangered species list," Boebert said, proceeding to flash multiple photos of unspecified fetuses. "These babies were born in Washington, D.C., full term. I don't know, maybe that's a way we can save some children here in the United States."

She then claimed that the ESA "has been weaponized by extremist environmentalists to obstruct commonsense multiple-use activities that they disagree with."

Video was posted on Twitter by user David Edwards. The subcommittee is chaired by Oregon Republican Representative Cliff Bentz.

One previously introduced bill by Boebert aimed to prohibit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from using taxpayer dollars to transport illegal immigrants across state lines for abortions.

In January, she voted for the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act "to stop the horrific practice of refusing medical care to babies who survive late-term abortions." She also co-sponsored additional legislation to condemn attacks on facilities and churches that oppose abortion, following the Supreme Court leak of the Dobbs decision.

She cited a poll conducted by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America in which 77 percent of respondents expressed support for legislation to ensure that a baby who survives a failed abortion be provided the same medical care as any other baby born prematurely at the same age.

Boebert also introduced the Defund Planned Parenthood Act in January, which would disallow federal tax dollars from going to Planned Parenthood and redirect such funding to community health centers.

The 36-year-old mother of four recently praised teen mothers following an announcement that her son, Tyler, 17, was an expectant father.

"There's something special about rural conservative communities," Boebert said at the time. "They value life. If you look at teen pregnancy rates throughout the nation, well, they're the same, [in] rural and urban areas. However, abortion rates are higher in urban areas. Teen moms' rates are higher in rural conservative areas, because they understand the preciousness of a life that's about to be born."

During a House hearing on strategic petroleum reserves this month, Boebert accused Democratic Representative Cori Bush of referring to a witness as a white supremacist. Her attempt to take down Bush's words via parliamentary inquiry was rebuffed by Republican Pat Fallon, chairman of the Subcommittee of Economic Growth, Energy Policy and Regulatory Affairs.

Newsweek has reached out to Boebert and Democratic Subcommittee Ranking Member Jared Huffman for comment via email, and the subcommittee press office via phone and email.