Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar said on Sunday she supports allowing restrictions on third-trimester abortion amid the thorny political debate over abortion procedure timelines.
“I support allowing third-trimester limitations that do not interfere with a woman’s life or health,” Klobuchar told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union,” while reaffirming his support. to the codification of Roe v. Wade.
The third trimester of a pregnancy begins at 27 weeks. Less than 1% of abortions are performed at 21 weeks or older, according to a 2020 report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Abortion has become a particularly potent political topic since the United States Supreme Court’s monumental decision a year ago to overturn Roe v. Wade and eliminate the federal constitutional right to abortion nationwide. More than a dozen US states have banned or severely restricted access to the procedure since the ruling.
“What I support – and I will be very clear about this – is Roe v. Wade, which allows limitations, but also protects women’s lives and women’s health,” Klobuchar said on Sunday.
“I think that’s the best way to go. But you look at what they’re doing, their leading Republican candidate, Dana, is calling for a ban on abortion. Trump was just last night gloating about the how he had set up those Supreme Court Justices who had overturned Roe v. Wade.
Klobuchar has long expressed the need for some restrictions on late-term abortions, telling Bloomberg in 2019 “there are limits in the third trimester that are very important – pretty much – except for the woman’s health.”
In the 2022 midterm elections, abortion was a critical motivator for many voters, as CNN exit polls showed 46% of people said abortion was the most important issue for their vote. Abortion is also likely to be a cornerstone of President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign, as administration officials point to what Democrats have done to protect access to abortion.
“MAGA Republicans have made it clear that they have no intention of stopping at the Dobbs decision. No, they won’t until they get a national abortion ban,” Biden said this week, vowing to issue a veto if a national ban passes Congress.
CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to clarify Klobuchar’s position on abortion restrictions.
This title and this story have been updated.
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