U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) introduced legislation Sept. 13 to ban most abortions nationwide after 15 weeks.
“I think we should have a law at the federal level that would say, after 15 weeks, no abortion on demand except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother,” Graham said during a news conference. “And that should be where America is at.”
Americans United President and CEO Rachel Laser blasted the proposal in a statement to the media.
“Religious freedom demands the right to an abortion so people can make their own reproductive decisions according to their own beliefs and principles,” Laser said. “Abortion bans like the one Sen. Graham is proposing undermine religious freedom by attempting to impose one religious viewpoint on all of us.”
Laser added, “The foundational promise of separation of church and state is meant to safeguard our right to live as ourselves and believe as we choose. Abortion bans breach this promise and impose one religious belief on all of us. That’s the opposite of religious freedom; it’s religious privilege for one narrow religious viewpoint. I’ll say it again: Reproductive freedom is religious freedom.”
Graham’s bill has no realistic chance of passing while Democrats hold the Senate. The move was seen as an effort to unite conservatives in advance of the midterm elections.