Last week, Democrats refused to consider any legislation to lower gas prices, reign in inflation, or address any of the serious domestic problems facing this country. Instead, they worked around the clock to pass a bill to legalize abortion for all nine months of pregnancy.

This bill, the so-called “Women’s Health Protection Act,” is radical enough to put us in line with countries like China and North Korea. Not only does this bill go way beyond what Roe ever did by allowing abortions up until birth, but also it prohibits states from creating pro-life laws to protect women and unborn children from harm. Despite the fact 80% of Americans agree abortion should be illegal in the third trimester, Democrats made this bill their top priority last week and even cheered on the House floor after it passed.

I voted against this radical legislation to legalize abortion for all nine months of pregnancy because I believe every life – whether born or unborn – is worth fighting for, and I believe we as a society have a fundamental duty to protect life at all stages.

I wrote a few weeks ago after Roe v. Wade was overturned that this is a great opportunity for states to enact laws reflecting the values of their local communities, rather than allow liberals like Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer to force their values on us. The last thing we need in Alabama – or anywhere – is for these folks to tell us how to live. My House Republican colleagues and I refuse to give in to their agenda, and we are doing all we can to fight back. Despite being outnumbered in Congress, we have been working for months to push through different bills to protect the rights of the unborn and protect women’s health.

My colleagues and I have introduced a number of pro-life bills, including the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, the Protecting Life in Crisis Act, the Defund Planned Parenthood Act, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, and the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. I’m proud to be a cosponsor of more than a dozen pro-life bills so far in the 117th Congress.

Congress should be able to work together on nonpartisan issues like getting the cost of living under control for hardworking Americans. Unfortunately, my colleagues across the aisle have shown no interest in any of this. They instead are focused on pushing through radical pro-abortion legislation that virtually nobody agrees with, while doing nothing to help struggling folks across this country put food on the table and gas in the tank. Moving forward, I’ll keep doing all I can to represent our values in Congress and focus on the issues that matter most to our families here in south Alabama.

Jerry Carl represents Alabama’s First Congressional District. He lives in Mobile with his wife Tina.