Last week, South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham introduced federal legislation that would limit abortion to the first 15 weeks of gestation. And while the proposal is broadly supported by the American people, most Republican Senators believe the abortion issue should be left up to each state.
The Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, which made abortion legal across the country, expressly stated that abortion law will be returned to the state legislatures.
During a press conference last Tuesday, Graham described the legislation as an alternative to the Democrat bill that would make abortion legal through all nine months of pregnancy.
Graham’s legislation has absolutely no chance of seeing the light of day in the Democrat-controlled House or Senate and is unlikely to pass even if Republicans retake both chambers in the midterms.
As it stands, the vast majority of Americans disagree with the Democrat Party’s push to “codify” Roe v. Wade on the federal level, permitting abortion with no restrictions.
A July Harvard/Harris poll found that 72 percent of Americans want abortion limited to the first 15 weeks of pregnancy while only 10 percent support the Democrat Party’s position of making abortion legal nationwide through all nine months of pregnancy.
Over 80 Republicans led by New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith introduced a companion bill in the House, including Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik.
However, not all Congressional Republicans are on board with the bill, with many arguing that the abortion issue must be left up to the states rather than the federal level.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters that most Senate Republicans believe abortion should remain at the state level.
Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas told Politico that the proposed legislation was not a decision made by the Republican conference, but by Senator Graham alone.
