On Sunday, in an interview with “Face the Nation,” Vice President Kamala Harris did not specify any abortion limitations when pressed by moderator Margaret Brennan.
Brennan inquired, “At what week of pregnancy should abortion access end?”
Vice President Harris replied that the main goal is to restore the provisions of Roe v. Wade, arguing that they aren’t aiming for new legislation. She emphasized, “From the outset, both the president and I have been clear. We want to reimplement the protections embedded in Roe v. Wade. The power is in Congress’s hands to enact such a law, and President Biden will endorse it.”
Brennan probed further on the exact duration of pregnancy after which abortion should be prohibited. Harris reiterated the administration’s commitment to restoring what was in place before the recent changes, dodging a direct answer.
When Brennan highlighted Republican concerns about the ambiguity of allowing late-stage abortions, both Harris and Brennan concurred that it was a misconception to believe that Democrats support abortion up to birth.
However, past statements and actions by Democrats seem to add complexity to this issue. For instance, ex-Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia has voiced his approval for abortions almost up to the point of childbirth under certain circumstances. Moreover, in 2021, the “Women’s Health Protection Act” (WHPA) was reintroduced by Democrats in the Senate, a bill that might have allowed abortions throughout pregnancy.