Democratic senator: GOP will ‘100 percent’ pass national abortion ban with control of Congress

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy (Conn.) on Monday warned about “the stakes” of the 2024 election, arguing Republicans will push to approve a national abortion ban if they win Congress next year.

“If you didn’t know already, if Republicans win control of the House and Senate in 2024, they are going to pass a national abortion ban,” Murphy tweeted. “It’s 100% certain. Just so we’re clear about the stakes.”

Murphy was commenting on a GOP-sponsored amendment to the annual defense policy bill that would reverse the Pentagon’s policy to reimburse travel expenses for service members who get abortions. This Defense Department policy prompted Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) to block hundreds of military promotions in the Senate in protest.

The only House Republicans to oppose the amendment were Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) and John Duarte (Calif.). Rep. Henry Cuellar (Texas) was the only Democrat to vote “yes.”

The House ultimately passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Friday largely along party lines in a 219-210 vote, with four Republicans opposing the measure and four Democrats supporting it. The bill typically passes with strong bipartisan support.

The abortion provision and other controversial measures included by House Republicans are poised to be rejected by the Democratic-led Senate when it takes up the bill this week.

Republicans’ push for a national abortion ban has slowed since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade last year. GOP presidential candidates have tiptoed around the issue, with only a handful of them committing to sign a full abortion ban if they are elected president.

House Republicans passed a 20-week abortion ban when they controlled the House in 2013, 2015 and 2017, but now, many GOP leaders are distancing themselves from the issue.

According to recent polls, most Americans do not support full abortion bans. According to an AP-NORC poll published earlier this month, 64 percent of Americans polled said they believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases.