GOP sticks to its abortion playbook as House acts

It’s highly improbable that nan Democratic-controlled Senate will see either measure, but nan votes bespeak that nan GOP, astatine slightest for now, plans to grip nan abortion rumor arsenic it has during past stints successful nan majority.

Both measures attraction connected issues astir nan periphery of nan abortion statement and don’t reside caller questions created by nan Supreme Court’s decision, specified arsenic whether Congress should walk authorities banning aliases restricting nan procedure.

Anti-abortion groups are pressuring Republicans to prosecute a nationwide ban, but galore Republican elected officials person embraced little far-reaching restrictions since Roe fell.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, for example, signed authorities banning abortion aft 15 weeks past year. Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R-S.C.) projected a nationwide 15-week ban successful September that drew 9 GOP co-sponsors. But different Republicans said they preferred to leave nan rumor to nan states, while still others said they wanted a prohibition from conception.

In nan House, Republicans said some measures were needed. Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) railed against nan Justice Department for not doing much to respond to vandalism against anti-abortion groups’ facilities.

“This solution is straightforward,” Jordan said. “What has happened astatine hundreds of situation gestation centers and churches astir nan state this past twelvemonth is wrong.”

On nan legislation, Jordan and different Republicans formed Democrats arsenic extremist for opposing it.

Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), nan bill’s sponsor, said nan measure would guarantee infants get attraction astatine “their astir susceptible moment.”

“All children should beryllium welcomed pinch joyousness and wonder, nary matter nan circumstances of their birth,” Wagner said. “Too galore of these saccharine small ones are denied nan aesculapian attraction they request … simply because they were unwanted.”

As POLITICO has reported, conscionable 1 percent of abortions successful nan United States return spot aft 21 weeks of pregnancy, according to nan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And a CDC analysis of 12 years of information connected unrecorded births recovered that conscionable 143 occurred pursuing an induced abortion retired of much than 49 cardinal births. In nan immense mostly of those cases, nan babe survived little than a day.

A rule enacted successful 2002 pinch small guidance affirmed that infants calved live aft an abortion effort are entitled to ineligible protection. And Democrats said nan caller measurement was unnecessary and would interfere pinch doctors’ judgment.

“Providers are already required by rule to supply due aesculapian care,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.). “Infanticide is murder.”

As a result, Democrats said nan measure wouldn’t do thing to bolster wellness attraction and could put infants’ lives astatine consequence by interfering pinch aesculapian practice.

“Determining nan due curen is for aesculapian professionals to decide, not politicians successful Congress,” said Judiciary Committee ranking personnel Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.).

On nan resolution, Democrats objected to what they said was nan GOP’s selective condemnation of unit by ignoring convulsive acts by abortion opponents.

“I unequivocally condemn each acts of violence, vandalism and demolition of property. However, these acts are not each nan same,” said Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.). “Graffiti connected nan broadside of a building is not comparable to nan stalking of doctors and nurses and nan assaulting of patients who effort to entree wellness care.”

Democrats attempted to amend nan measure to barroom restrictions connected nan prescribing of abortion pills, abortion counseling via telehealth and limits connected emergency abortion services, but failed.

Although each Republican coming voted for nan authorities and resolution, location was astatine slightest 1 critic.

In an question and reply earlier nan ballot Wednesday, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) expressed vexation pinch GOP leaders for highlighting abortion argumentation astatine nan opening of nan caller Congress.

“It conscionable feels for illustration we didn’t study thing aft nan overturning of Roe v. Wade. We didn’t study thing during nan midterm predetermination cycle,” Mace said. “The fringes are not wherever it’s astatine connected this rumor … There’s a batch of communal ground. We request to find it and we request to find it fast.”

Mace suggested that Congress should activity to grow entree to commencement control, arsenic good arsenic protections for rape victims, and that leaders should person highlighted GOP efforts to combat ostentation arsenic nan party’s opening move.

Mace said she still supported some nan solution and nan bill.