Witness Tells Off Republican Senator in Hearing on Abortion: ‘Don’t Ask a Question If You Don’t Want to Know the Answer’
A witness testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday gave a response she knew Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) did not want to hear.
The hearing centered on abortion bans and the implications for interstate travel after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and the constitutional right to abortion in 2022. Since then, many states have enacted restrictions, forcing women to travel out of state to obtain abortions. Some Republicans have floated the idea of prohibiting interstate travel to obtain an abortion. Idaho has already made it illegal to help pregnant minors cross state lines to receive the procedure.
Kennedy asked one witness about whether women should be able to abort a fetus late in the third term.
“Should the mother at that juncture have the right – clearly a viable child – to abort the child?” Kennedy asked the witness, who called the scenario unlikely.
Not satisfied with that response, Kennedy turned to Jocelyn Frye, the president of the National Partnership for Women and Families.
“My example’s not unrealistic,” Kennedy insisted. “I wanna save my time. If your answer’s gonna be, ‘That never happens,’ let me go to Ms Frye. What do you think?”
Frye responded:
Well, Senator, first of all, if you– don’t ask a question if you don’t want to know the answer. But I’m saying to you, Senator, 1%, 1% of abortions happen at 21 weeks or later. So, I think the premise of your question sets up a conversation about abortion that is unfair. It is rarely, is that ever the instance. Most, the vast majority of pregnancies and abortions that are considered late in a pregnancy have to do with severe, devastating medical circumstances.
And I understand your point, Senator. I understand your point. But with all due respect, I also think the chances of people sort of getting all the way through a pregnancy and just sort of saying, “I don’t want it,” is disrespectful to women.
Watch above via the U.S. Senate.
