Sen. Graham Proposes Nationwide 15-Week Abortion Ban

Photo: forbes

The Facts

  • On Tues., US Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) unveiled a bill that would criminalize abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, in what is the first national ban on the procedure to be introduced since SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade.

  • Graham’s bill includes exceptions in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the mother is in danger. While doctors who violate the ban would face up to five years in prison, women wouldn't be prosecuted.


The Spin

Democratic narrative

Graham is calling his bill the Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act, which — aside from being a jawbreaking name — is widely inaccurate on two fronts: Virtually all medical associations have concluded that fetuses don't feel pain until 24 weeks, and "late-term" is a political phrase used to manipulate, not a scientific one. Americans need only look at what Republican states have done recently to see Graham's true motives.

Republican narrative

Recent polls have indicated that most Americans support common-sense restrictions on abortions, and Graham’s bill is in step with this. Something has to be done to stop radical bills like the Democrats’ Women’s Health Protection Act, which would legalize the procedure nationwide and handcuff states from exercising their constitutional right to limit abortion.

Nerd narrative

There's a 5% chance that abortion will be banned nationally in the United States before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.



Political split

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RIGHT

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