President Joe Biden’s press secretary condemned Republican lawmakers for “taking rights away from millions of women” with a new bill that would institute a 15-week abortion ban.
Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) legislation “would strip away women’s rights in all 50 states,” Karine Jean-Pierre said, calling it “wildly out of step” with what America wants.
“The president and vice president are fighting for progress, while Republicans are fighting to take us back,” Jean-Pierre said.
LOBBYISTS PEEL OFF FROM HARRIS’S OFFICE BUT STICK WITH BIDEN
The Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Center decision eliminated federal protections for abortion this summer when it overturned Roe v. Wade, returning the decision to the states and elected branches. Graham’s bill calls for a nationwide ban on abortions after 15 weeks, with exceptions for rape, incest, and safeguarding the mother’s life.
While a majority of voters opposed the court’s decision to overturn Roe, 72% support a 15-week ban, including 60% of Democrats, according to the results of a June Harvard/Harris poll.
Nevertheless, the prospect of getting a filibuster-proof majority is small, even if Republicans retake the Senate next year. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) previously noted he would not bypass the 60-vote majority rule for abortion legislation.
Jean-Pierre said the Republican effort to legislate on abortion is “threatening women’s health and lives.”
Abortion rights has become a top issue for Democrats in the November elections as the president’s party prepares to defend its majority. In Kansas, voters recently rejected a ballot measure to remove the right to abortion from the state constitution, indicating potential obstacles to removing protections at the state level.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The White House has teased the prospect of eliminating the filibuster to codify federal abortion rights. Over the weekend, Vice President Kamala Harris said in an interview with NBC News’s Meet the Press that Biden won’t let the filibuster “get in the way” of signing Democratic legislation on the issue if the bill reaches a Senate majority. She said Democrats would need to win two more seats.
Graham has previously supported a national ban after 20 weeks of pregnancy, except for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest.
