U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., introduced a bill Tuesday to limit most abortions nationwide after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Graham has previously called for a 20-week ban.
The legislation would prohibit doctors from performing abortions except in situations involving rape, incest or risk to the life of the mother.
Stricter laws in individual states would remain in place.
Graham said he worked closely with anti-abortion groups to craft the bill.
“After Roe v. Wade was overturned, Democrats in Congress have rallied behind pro-choice legislation which allows abortion right up until the moment of birth. I view the Democrat proposal as radical and one that Americans will ultimately reject,” Graham said in a news release.
Senate Democrats in May failed to pass a measure that would prevent states from enacting many types of abortion restrictions, before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Graham’s proposed bill drew criticism from Democrats.
“(Democrats) have been ringing the alarm on Republicans’ plan to enact a national abortion ban,” House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C. said in a tweet. “We must restore the right to choose and prioritize women’s health and safety above all else.”
Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison, who ran against Graham in 2020 for U.S. Senate, quickly disapproved and pointed to how Graham previously said the question on abortion should be left up to each state.
“The only thing consistent is that Lindsey Graham is a craven liar,” Harrison said in a tweet.
The Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network expressed its opposition as well.
“This proposed national ban is cruel, and it undermines the health, dignity, and the will of the American people,” WREN said in a news release. “Rather than infringing upon people’s personal health care decisions, the federal government should focus on removing barriers to health care access.”
South Carolinians can currently receive an abortion up to 20 weeks. The state’s six-week ban is temporarily blocked while the South Carolina Supreme Court reviews it. State lawmakers are considering further restrictions.
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