Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Thursday introduced legislation that would ban abortions nationwide for women more than 20 weeks pregnant, the senator’s office announced.
The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act draws on scientific evidence that says an unborn child can feel pain, according to Graham’s office. The legislation would make it illegal for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion after 20 weeks, or six months, of pregnancy and would mandate a determination of the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child prior to any abortion operation.
The legislation would make exceptions only in the case that an abortion is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or if the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest against a minor.
Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement that the legislation “blatantly” disregards the Constitution and seeks to “insert politicians between women and their doctors in complicated, highly personal medical decisions.”
“Every pregnant woman faces unique circumstances, challenges, and potential complications, and must be able to make her own decisions based on her personal values, the advice of the medical professionals she trusts, and what’s right for her and her family,” Northup said in the statement. “We strongly urge the leadership in the Senate to do what the House failed to do and refuse to consider this harmful and patently unconstitutional attack on women’s health and rights.”
