New Jersey Representative Chris Smith — one of the GOP’s leading anti-abortion voices who said the issue inspired him to run — said he plans to lower his proposed abortion ban from 20 weeks to 15 weeks in the light Supreme Court repeals the constitutional right to abortion.
Smith is the lead sponsor of “The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act,” which would ban abortion after the 20th week of pregnancy. The bill has previously passed through the House when Republicans were in power, and the GOP has pointed to that move as a piece of legislation they would like to reinstate if they regain control of the chamber next year.
But Smith said he plans to tighten the ban.
“We’re working on something along those lines,” Smith said when asked by DailyExpertNews about a nationwide abortion ban. “I have the Pain Capable at 20 weeks. We’re going to lower it to 15. There are all kinds of ideas.”
“But we don’t have the ability to overcome a veto or a filibuster at the moment,” he added.
Pending the Supreme Court’s ruling on Roe v Wade, Republicans in the House have begun discussing the anti-abortion laws they would bring on the table if they won the majority and have used recent closed-door party meetings to discuss their abortion messages and strategy. †
DailyExpertNews reported that earlier this month, the head of the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List addressed a House GOP conference meeting where she spoke to members about how to get a message out on the matter and encouraged members to take step-by-step steps in the towards a ban on abortion if they win the majority.
In addition to the 20-week ban bill, there is also a stricter measure in the House that would ban abortions once heart activity is detected, which has more than 100 Republican co-sponsors in the House.
However, Top House Republicans have been wary of pushing for tougher, nationwide abortion bans and are expected instead to focus their posts on calling for a ban on so-called late-term abortions, which are rare. But Republicans feel it’s a more popular message and the polls are on their side when it comes to late-term abortions.