Mississippi Sen. Wicker says pro-life protections most effectively achieved when legislated at the local level.
When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in its ruling in Mississippi’s Dobbs case of earlier this year, the majority of Justices agreed with Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s position that absent federal law states should be allowed to regulate abortion.
From a policy perspective, the notion of state regulation has long been the position of most pro-life Republican office holders and activists as they have fought what they saw as the overreach of Roe for 50 years.
After the ruling, Congressional Democrats tried and failed to codify an expanded version of Roe on the federal level that would have allowed abortion on demand.
On Tuesday, South Carolina U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican, has now chosen to kick the ant hill on the abortion policy front yet again, proposing a federal 15-week abortion ban he says is a counter to the Democrats’ proposals. Graham’s bill includes exceptions for rape, incest and protecting the mother’s health.
Yet, Republican lawmakers remain divided on the issue as many continue to believe any regulatory policies on abortion should be left up to the states.
When asked about the proposal, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said most GOP Senators “prefer this be handled at the state level.”
Mitch McConnell on Lindsey Graham's bill that would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy nationwide:
"I think most of the members of my conference prefer that this be dealt with at the state level."https://t.co/yi1LiveTw6 pic.twitter.com/R5xo1xDvMm
— JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) September 13, 2022
Y’all Politics reached out to Mississippi senior Senator Roger Wicker Tuesday afternoon.
Wicker said the Senate Republican conference is unified in seeking as many pro-life protections as possible for all Americans, “but this goal has historically shown to be most effectively achieved when legislated at the local level.”
“I hope that Mississippi’s strong laws defending the unborn can serve as a model for my colleagues and help them make a difference in their respective states,” Senator Wicker said.
Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban was at the core of the Dobbs ruling. The state has since enacted its trigger law that bans abortion except in the case of rape or to protect the mother’s life.
Senator Wicker said the issue should not be used in a partisan manner.
“We cannot allow partisan spin to undermine our determination to fight for the rights of the unborn, including at the federal level,” Wicker said.
Democrats pounced on Graham’s proposal, further using the abortion issue to advocate for voter turnout in the November Midterms, painting the GOP as attacking women’s health care and privacy.
Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the proposal part of an “extremist agenda.”
SCHUMER: "While MAGA Republicans are fixated on their extremist agenda, like a national abortion ban, Democrats are focused on creating jobs, lowering costs, and bringing the country together." pic.twitter.com/Hu0t3rytXM
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 13, 2022
The White House Press Secretary followed suit, calling it “an extreme piece of legislation.”
REPORTER: Senator @LindseyGrahamSC's bill "calls for a 15 week ban. Even amongst people who would like abortion to be legal…there actually is support for that."
KJP: "It is an extreme piece of legislation." pic.twitter.com/q0ndaRNLer
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 13, 2022
