Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., on Thursday displayed pictures of what she claimed were human fetuses during a House hearing on endangered species, asking her Democratic colleagues if they would put babies on the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Boebert attended the Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee hearing to try and get gray wolves removed from the list of at-risk species so they can be hunted.
However, the anti-abortion activist began her remarks by suggesting that Democrats who favor abortion rights should want babies on the protected species list, Colorado Public Radio first reported.
"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," she said, holding up the images of what she claims are American babies with what appear to be birth defects.
"These babies were born in Washington, D.C., full term," Boebert claimed. "I don't know, maybe that's a way we can save some children here in the United States."
Lauren Boebert brought photos of human fetuses to a hearing on endangered species. pic.twitter.com/IpXCI14cWT
— David Edwards (@DavidEdwards) March 23, 2023
She then shifted her focus to the gray wolf, saying it's, "an Endangered Species Act success story, and it shouldn't languish," on the ESA anymore.
Boebert claimed the ESA has been "weaponized by extremists, extremist environmentalists, to obstruct common sense multiple-use activities that they disagree with."
"On the right, we want to be good stewards of our land and the wildlife and our waters," she said, promoting her bill, titled Trust the Science Act. "We want to be a part of that managing process with wildlife, not have wildlife manage itself."
Stephen Guertin, deputy director for program management and policy at U.S. Fish and Wildlife, said that Boebert's bill "would put congress in control of delisting species without the benefit of using the best available scientific and commercial information and without considering current conditions."
"They'd supersede ongoing scientific analysis being conducted by the service regarding the status of wolf and grizzly populations right now," he added.
Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the panel, said these "bills ignore science, rather than trust it. They bypass science."
