Washington, September 16 (RHC)-- Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has introduced legislation to ban abortions nationwide after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Washington, September 16 (RHC)-- Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has introduced legislation to ban abortions nationwide after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Sen. Lindsey Graham: “Here’s what I think.  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, to save the life of the mother.  And that should be where America is at.”

Graham’s nationwide abortion ban proposal shocked many in Washington, including some Republicans who say the issue should be addressed by states, not the federal government.  Under Graham’s bill, states could still impose harsher bans on abortion. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted on Tuesday: “The nationwide abortion ban proposal put forth today is the latest, clearest signal of extreme MAGA Republicans intent to criminalize women’s health freedom in all 50 states and arrest doctors for providing basic care.”

In related news, in the U.S. state of West Virginia, lawmakers have passed a near-total ban on abortion.  If Republican Governor Jim Justice signs the bill as expected, West Virginia will become the second state, after Indiana, to enact a new abortion ban following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe. Republican lawmakers said they hope the bill results in the closure of West Virginia’s only abortion clinic.  Indiana’s near-total abortion ban has now gone into effect.