Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C) introduced legislation on Tuesday banning abortion at 15 weeks nationwide though it is unlikely to become law.
Graham said elected officials, including Congress should have the power to regulate abortion despite previously saying the issue of abortion should be left up to states.
“We should have a law at the federal level,” Graham said at a press briefing.
The bill is a more restrictive version of the Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act, introduced by Graham last year that banned abortions at 20 weeks. The bill allows for exceptions in the case of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother.
The bill would leave more restrictive abortion laws unchanged, but changed the laws in states like New York that allows abortion up to 24 weeks.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre slammed the legislation, calling it “wildly out of step with what Americans believe,” according to CBS News.
“While President Biden and Vice President Harris are focused on the historic passage of the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, health care, and energy — and to take unprecedented action to address climate change — Republicans in Congress are focused on taking rights away from millions of women,” she said in a statement. “The president and vice president are fighting for progress, while Republicans are fighting to take us back.”
Senate Majority Leader Church Schumer (D-N.Y) also slammed the legislation calling it “radical.”
“For the hard right, this has never been about states’ rights. This has never been about letting Texas choose its own path while California takes another,” Schumer said. “No, for MAGA Republicans, this has always been about making abortion illegal everywhere.”
The bill is unlikely to become law since Democrats control the House, Senate and President Joe Biden in the White House. Graham acknowledged that fact and promised that there will be a vote on the nationwide ban if Republicans take back the House and Senate in the midterm elections.
The issue of abortion has motivated Democrats since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. 59% of voters in a CBS polls say abortion is a very important issue this midterm and 58% support a federal law legalizing abortion, the opposite of Graham’s proposal.
