美国国家公共电台 NPR--GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham introduces 15-week abortion ban in the Senate

GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham introduces 15-week abortion¹ ban in the Senate

Transcript²

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has introduced a bill to create a federal ban on abortions³ at 15 weeks in an attempt to force Republicans to adopt a partywide consensus⁴ on the issue.

The move comes as Democrats⁵ have turned abortion into a rallying cry following the Supreme⁶ Court decision in June to overturn Roe⁷ v. Wade⁸. Polls have consistently shown that a majority of voters oppose the end of federal abortion protections.

Graham acknowledged at a press conference on Tuesday that the legislation has very little chance of becoming law in the near future, and that's not just because Democrats control Congress and the White House. The proposed legislation includes exceptions for rape⁹, incest and the health of the mother but it has not received the backing of any GOP leaders.

The effort is at odds¹⁰ with the views of many federally elected Republicans who have said the issue of abortion should be left to the states. Graham himself said the issue should be left to the states before reversing his position with this legislation.

Graham told reporters that he has not spoken to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., about the bill. McConnell himself has largely avoided committing to any discussion of a federal abortion ban. In the days following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe, a conservative victory decades in the making, McConnell explicitly¹¹ downplayed the chances of such a ban ever being enacted¹².

"It takes 60 votes in the Senate for either side to prevail on this issue," McConnell said at an event in his home state of Kentucky. "So I think the democratic process on this issue is going to work out at the state level."

Democrats wasted no time trying to tie all Republicans to Graham's plan

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre released a statement reaffirming Democrats' pledge to restore federal protections for abortion rights.

"Republicans in Congress are focused on taking rights away from millions of women," Jean-Pierre said. "The President and Vice¹³ President are fighting for progress, while Republicans are fighting to take us back."

Democrats have warned for months that Republicans would move ahead with a federal abortion ban if they win back control in Washington--a message that has helped drive an increase in voter registration¹⁴ among women in several states.

The dynamic is particularly difficult for Republican candidates in places that aren't GOP strongholds, like Joe O'Dea who is running for Senate in Colorado. In a recent interview with NPR, O'Dea said he does not plan to support a federal abortion ban.

"I believe, the first five months, the mother has the choice," O'Dea said. "After that, there should be some exceptions rape, incest, life of the mother. Those should be exceptions. And I'll vote that way and I've been consistent about it."

But Graham said he thinks a federal abortion ban should be part of the campaign process and he wants his bill to represent the consensus view of the majority of groups opposing abortion rights.

"We are trying to basically normalize America here," Graham said. "If we stay on this and keep talking about it maybe in a decade this will be law."

1 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

4 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

5 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

7 roe   

n.鱼卵；獐鹿

参考例句：

• We will serve smoked cod's roe at the dinner.宴会上我们将上一道熏鳕鱼子。
• I'll scramble some eggs with roe?我用鱼籽炒几个鸡蛋好吗？

8 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

9 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

10 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

11 explicitly   

ad.明确地，显然地

参考例句：

• The plan does not explicitly endorse the private ownership of land. 该计划没有明确地支持土地私有制。
• SARA amended section 113 to provide explicitly for a right to contribution. 《最高基金修正与再授权法案》修正了第123条，清楚地规定了分配权。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

12 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

13 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

14 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？