Democrats’ Nine Month Abortion On Demand Bill Is Vastly Unpopular With Americans And Radical On A Global Scale
‘Today’s Democratic Party Is Profoundly Out Of Step With The American People On This Issue… Leader Schumer Wants The Senate To Vote Again On A Democrat Bill That Would Effectively Legalize Abortion On Demand Through All Nine Months’
SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): “What is the Armageddon over which Democrats want to break the Senate, pack the Court, and condone potentially illegal rallies outside judges’ family homes? Here’s the case in question: Whether the state of Mississippi can enact an abortion law that would still be more liberal than the laws in Germany, France, and Switzerland. That is the case that is driving these hysterics. The possibility that abortion laws might begin to move away from China and North Korea and closer to Germany, France, and Switzerland. That’s what’s prompted the calls to destroy our institutions and surround judges’ family homes. … Today’s Democratic Party is profoundly out of step with the American people on this issue. Their extreme position ignores modern science and public opinion. Leader Schumer wants the Senate to vote again on a Democrat bill that would effectively legalize abortion on demand through all nine months. … Democrats’ extreme position is radical on a global scale and it is wildly unpopular with the American people. Only 34% of Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases into the second trimester. That drops to 19% in the third trimester. But that is what Democrats’ bill would allow in practice. Every Senate Democrat but two, and every House Democrat except a handful, have put their name on this as co-sponsors. That means 97% of Washington Democrats support a position that only 19% of Americans want.” (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 5/9/2022)
Democrats Are Pushing A Second Vote On A Failed Bill That Would Effectively Legalize Abortions Through All Nine Months Of Pregnancy
“Democrats are pushing for another vote on a bill that would legalize some abortions through all nine months of a woman’s pregnancy. Democratic senators [in May] pushed for another vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act. … The Women’s Health Protection Act would effectively codify Roe v. Wade, creating provisions requiring states to allow abortion access regardless of their laws while allowing women to abort a child so long as a single healthcare provider says the pregnancy is a risk to the mother’s health or life, regardless of fetal viability.” (“Democrats Use Leaked SCOTUS Opinion To Push Bill Legalizing Some Abortions For All 9 Months,” Fox News, 5/4/2022)
“Senate Democrats will vote Wednesday on a bill that would make Roe v. Wade the law of the land and head off a Supreme Court decision that could leave states the sole authority on whether to restrict abortion. The bill – introduced by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., late Tuesday evening – does not have the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster in the 50-50 Senate, but it marks Democrats’ first legislative attempt to enshrine the right to abortion into law since the leak. … In February, the Senate held a procedural vote on an earlier version of the bill, the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2021. That failed to pass, 46-48, with six senators not voting.” (“‘Sense Of Urgency’: Senate To Vote Wednesday On Bill That Would Make Abortion Legal Nationally,” USA Today, 5/5/2022)
Only 19% Of Americans Think Abortions Should Be Legal In The Third Trimester
According to a 2021 AP-NORC poll, only 19% of Americans think most or all abortions should be legal in the third trimester. (“AP-NORC Poll: Most Say Restrict Abortion After 1st Trimester,” The Associated Press, 6/25/2021)
The United States Is One Of Only Seven Countries, Including China And North Korea, That Even Allow Elective Abortions After 20 Weeks
“There are 59 countries that allow abortion ‘without restriction as to reason,’ or ‘elective,’ or ‘abortion on demand.’ These are countries where the letter of the federal law does not impose specific eligibility requirements for women. The other 139 countries ‘require some reason to obtain an abortion, ranging from most restrictive (to save the life of the mother or completely prohibited) to least restrictive (socioeconomic grounds) with various reasons in between (e.g., physical health, mental health),’ the report says. Only seven of the 59 countries allow elective abortions after 20 weeks, the group found: Canada, China, Netherlands, North Korea, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam.” (“Is The United States One Of Seven Countries That ‘Allow Elective Abortions After 20 Weeks Of Pregnancy?’,” The Washington Post, 10/9/2017)
Many European Countries Restrict Abortions Before 15 Weeks
France: “Until February 2022, the limit for on-demand abortion was 12 weeks, but this was extended to 14 weeks in one of the last bills passed under president Emmanuel Macron’s first term as president.” (“EXPLAINED: What is the law on abortion in France?,” The Local Fr, 5/3/2022)
Spain: “Spain liberalized its abortion laws in 2010. In the years before, it allowed women to get abortions in only extraordinary circumstances, but the new laws allow all women to get the procedure in the first 14 weeks of a pregnancy, without restrictions.” (“In Spain, Abortions Are Legal, but Many Doctors Refuse to Perform Them,” The New York Times, 9/21/2021)
Switzerland: “Abortion is legal in Switzerland, although you will need a consultation with a doctor. … In Switzerland, the law was changed in 2002 to allow for abortions within a certain time period. Abortion is permitted if it takes place in the first 12 weeks of the pregnancy, which Swiss law measures as starting on the date of the woman’s last period. This means that both medical and surgical abortions are permitted in Switzerland, with medical abortions taking place until the eighth week and surgical interventions taking place from the ninth week onwards.” (“Reader Question: Is Abortion Legal In Switzerland?,” The Local Ch, 5/5/2022)
Germany: “Paragraph 218 of Germany’s criminal code outlaws abortion, with possible penalties of up to three years in prison. Exceptions exist if the abortion seeker receives mandatory counselling; if the pregnancy creates health risks for the woman; or if the pregnancy is the result of rape. Nevertheless, terminating a pregnancy after twelve weeks is illegal.” (“On Abortion, Germany Is Not As Liberal As You May Think,” Euronews, 5/11/2021)
Italy: “Italy legalised abortion on May 22, 1978… allowing women to terminate in the first three months of pregnancy or after if the mother’s life is at risk or there is an abnormal foetus. [sic]” (Euronews, 5/22/2018)
Finland: “It also has the strictest abortion laws, being the only Nordic country where women need to acquire the signature of at least one doctor (in some cases two) to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. If the pregnancy has proceeded past 13 weeks, special permission from the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) must be obtained.” (“Finland Has The Lowest Abortion Rate Among Nordic Countries,” Helsinki Times, 4/8/2021)
Portugal: “Portuguese women have had the legal right to an abortion paid for by the state up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy since it was approved by a referendum in 2007.” (“Portugal Tightens Abortion Laws, Forcing Women To Pay To End Pregnancies,” Guardian, 7/22/2015)
Belgium: “Since 1990 women in Belgium can legally get an abortion if certain conditions are met. Abortions are only possible if the pregnancy is under twelve weeks. ... Terminations after twelve weeks are only possible if the mother is in danger or the child will not be fully healthy.” (“Can You Get An Abortion In Belgium?,” VRT NWS, 5/26/2018)
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SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
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