McConnell vows Senate will vote on 20-week abortion ban
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pledged Friday that legislation to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy would get a vote in the upper chamber.
“A bill that protects life after 20 weeks in the womb, a bill that in the past in the Senate couldn’t even get a hearing, I promise you will be getting a vote,” the Republican leader said in an address at the Faith and Freedom Coalition Conference in Washington.
{mosads}Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who is running for president, introduced the legislation earlier this month. The House passed similar legislation last month.
McConnell, who didn’t specify a timeline for bringing up the measure, said the bill is “not only good news for pro-lifers, it’s good news for the entire country.”
“It’s about time we begin the process of putting America into the ranks of most other civilized countries by protecting unborn children after 20 weeks in the womb. It’s high time we did that,” he added. “I don’t know about you but I think we’re failing as a country if the best thing we can offer to a scared young mom to be is a referral to Planned Parenthood.”
While McConnell promised to bring a bill up for a vote, it faces an uphill path to clearing the Senate and would likely face a veto threat from President Obama
The Senate bill so far has 45 co-sponsors — all Republicans. Missing from the list of supporters are Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), both of whom are up for reelection in blue-leaning states, as well more moderate Republicans, including Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine.)
Senate Republicans are having to play defense on 24 Senate seats during next year’s election, and a vote for the legislation could be used against vulnerable Republicans.
Graham brushed aside the potential political fallout, telling reporters earlier this month: “Don’t get in politics if you don’t want to talk about things like this.”
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.