Washington (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2022) US Senator Lindsey Graham on Tuesday introduced the Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children From Late-Term Abortions Act that would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, the senator's office said in a release on Tuesday.
"Working closely with the preeminent pro-life groups in the country, we are today introducing legislation to ban abortion at a time when unborn children can feel pain," Graham said in the release. "Our legislation, which bans abortion after 15 weeks' gestation, will put the United States abortion policy in line with other developed nations such as France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spain and other European nations."
The measure would prohibit doctors from performing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy - when an unborn child can feel pain - except in situations involving rape, incest, or ones in which the life and physical health of the mother is in affected.
The measure also leaves in place state laws that are "more protective" of unborn life and puts the United States in line with other modern societies. Forty-seven out of 50 European nations limit elective abortion prior to 15 weeks' gestation, the release said.
More than 55,000 abortions at the 15-week point or later occur annually in the United States and recent state-level data shows that the majority of late-term abortions are performed for elective reasons, the release added.
A majority of Americans - 72 percent - are in favor of limiting abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, according to the release.
