House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik has said that the party is working on a federal limit to make abortions illegal after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Stefanik spoke at the National Press Club on Tuesday at an event for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, celebrating the anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade last June.
The Supreme Court’s decision overturned the previous precedent that found abortion to be a constitutional right.
During her speech, Stefanik signaled that Congressional Republicans are working on limiting abortion — with exceptions.
The Catholic lawmaker said that Congress must make sure “that no taxpayer dollars go towards funding abortions and also having a minimum of a 15-week bill with exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother.”
.@EliseStefanik speaking now on Dobbs decision @ Nat’l Press Club
SBA president says she chose Stefanik as the sole speaker bc “there is an important federal responsibility to act on the abortion issue, and to act in a smart way that reflects the consensus of the country.” pic.twitter.com/84Pcj0784C
— Ashley Oliver (@asholiver) June 20, 2023
The congresswoman said that the right to life “is fundamental to human rights and the American dream,” according to a report from the Washington Examiner.
Stefanik said that Roe had been a decision made by “radical judges who frankly took the voice away from the American people.”
“The people are the most important voices” on the topic of abortion, Stefanik said. She added that the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling allows the people to “turn our attention to a permanent solution.”
Reversing Roe, Stefanik said, “restored the correct interpretation of our Constitution.”
“Twenty-five states have life-saving laws on the books, common sense policies like parental consent laws, limits on late-term abortion and informed consent provisions,” she continued.
She argued that the Supreme Court’s decision sent the issue of abortion back to elected legislators, not the courts.
Republicans are “going to have to show strength,” Stefanik said during her speech. “We will get [it] done.”
House Republicans already have several abortion-related bills in the pipeline.
The Gazette reports, “H. Res. 464 outlines that the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause ought to extend to the lives of unborn children, and it already has 20 co-sponsors after being introduced earlier this month.”
Another piece of legislation, H.R. 7, would permanently ban federal taxpayer funding for abortion.
Abortion is expected to be a massive debate during the Republican presidential primary.
