- Title: U.S. Senate Republican Lindsey Graham unveils abortion bill ahead of midterms
- Date: 13th September 2022
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 13, 2022) (REUTERS) U.S. SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM APPROACHING LECTERN (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR, LINDSEY GRAHAM, SAYING: "Here's what I think. I think we should have a law at the federal level that would say 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 is at." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR, LINDSEY GRAHAM, SAYING: "So the theory of the case here is not to be like Europe so much, is to have a standard in America that would prohibit abortions during the birthing process. At a stage where it's pretty clear from the science and most of the world this should be a no go unless there's some extraordinary reason." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR, LINDSEY GRAHAM, SAYING: "So I look forward to the debate, I look forward to the vote. If we take back the House and the Senate, I can assure you we'll have a vote on our bill that the Democrats are in charge. I don't know if we'll ever have a vote on our bill." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR, LINDSEY GRAHAM, SAYING: "We're trying to pick a position we think will rally the country to be more sympathetic to the unborn child. And I am confident that if this bill came to the floor, it would get a lot of support among Republicans and hopefully a handful of Democrats. I'd make a prediction." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR, LINDSEY GRAHAM, SAYING: "And so to my Democratic friends, you're going around calling all of us, every name you can think of. We're a bunch of wackos. Your idea is wacko, not ours. Let's vote." WHITE FLASH GRAHAM LEAVING LECTERN
- Embargoed: 27th September 2022 17:57
- Keywords: 15 weeks Abortion Lindsey Graham Senate
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Fundamental Rights/Civil Liberties,Government/Politics,United States
- Reuters ID: LVA001503913092022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS WHITE FLASHES
Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham proposed new national restrictions on abortion on Tuesday (September 13), two months before the Nov. 8 midterm elections in which the abortion issue has emerged as a potential albatross for Republican candidates.
With control of the Senate up for grabs, and some jittery Republican candidates softening their positions on abortion, Graham announced legislation that would ban the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy nationwide.
The move carries political risks. Polls have shown the issue of abortion has increased in importance for Democratic voters in the midterms after the U.S. Supreme Court in June overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that had recognized women's constitutional right to abortion for nearly half a century.
In a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted Sept. 7-12, 63% of respondents said they were less likely to back candidates who support laws that ban or severely restrict abortion.
Graham's bill, which will go nowhere in the Democratic-controlled Congress, is stricter than similar legislation he introduced in previous years that aimed to ban abortions after 20 weeks. The current bill allows exceptions in cases involving rape, incest or risks to the mother's life and health.
The bill quickly came under fire from Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who played on Graham's allegiance to former President Donald Trump by branding the bill as a "MAGA" measure, using the acronym for Trump's slogan, "Make America Great Again."
Abortion rights advocates have scored political victories in the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision, which paved the way for a raft of state-level abortion bans to be enforced.
Democrat Pat Ryan defeated a Republican rival in a House special election last month after making abortion his top campaign issue. In conservative Kansas, voters overwhelmingly rejected an effort to remove abortion protections from the state's constitution.
Democrats are now hoping to use the abortion issue to capitalize on Republican weaknesses in some House and Senate races.
Republicans are favored to take control of the House in November but could have a harder time regaining the Senate majority, as Trump-endorsed candidates struggle in key swing states including Arizona, Georgia, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Some Republican candidates, including Senate hopeful Blake Masters in Arizona, have gone so far as to change their campaign websites to eliminate hardline rhetoric on abortion, according to U.S. media reports.
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