Sen. Lindsey Graham has introduced legislation that would ban abortions nationwide after 15 weeks.
The bill has exceptions for cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.
Sen. Graham has called the legislation the Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a longtime champion of states’ rights, announces he is introducing federal legislation to ban abortion after 15 weeks — with exceptions only in the case of rape, incest, or life of the mother. pic.twitter.com/rAkR1qNLhy
— The Recount (@therecount) September 13, 2022
“I think we should have a law on the books that says after 15 weeks, no abortion on demand except in cases of rape, incest, to save the life of the mother, and that should be where America’s at,” Graham said during a press conference announcing the bill.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) asked how he squares saying abortion should be left to states to then introducing a nationwide abortion ban:
“Pretty easy … After [Democrats] introduced the bill to define who they are, I thought it’d be nice to introduce a bill to define who we are.” pic.twitter.com/8VAYUkqEs8
— The Recount (@therecount) September 13, 2022
The White House has issued a statement condemning the bill.
“Today, Senator Graham introduced a national ban on abortion which would strip away women’s rights in all 50 states. This bill is wildly out of step with what Americans believe,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement published on the White House website.
The statement continued, “President Biden and Congressional Democrats are committed to restoring the protections of Roe v. Wade in the face of continued radical steps by elected Republicans to put personal health care decisions in the hands of politicians instead of women and their doctors, threatening women’s health and lives.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — who claims to be Catholic — also voiced her opposition to the bill, saying, “the nationwide abortion ban proposal put forth today is the latest, clearest signal of extreme MAGA Republicans’ intent to criminalize women’s health freedom in all 50 states and arrest doctors for providing basic care. Make no mistake: if Republicans get the chance, they will work to pass laws even more draconian than this bill – just like the bans they have enacted in states like Texas, Mississippi and Oklahoma.”
When asked by a reporter about if he believes he will have enough votes to get the bill passed, Sen. Graham said that he believes some Democrats will vote in favor.
“I think there will be a couple of Democrats who will be with us, maybe, hope, pray,”Graham replied. “I think the public’s with us.”