House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Thursday that Alabama’s new abortion law goes too far by outlawing the procedure in nearly all cases, including cases of rape and incest.
“It goes further than I believe,” Mr. McCarthy told reporters.
He said he’s proudly pro-life, but said he’s always backed exceptions for rape and incest in legislation he’s voted for.
Alabama’s new law, approved this week, has been called the strictest in the country. It imposes stiff penalties on doctors who perform abortions in violation of the law, and allows exceptions only for cases where the life of the mother is in danger or where the pregnancy carries a “serious health risk.”
The law’s backers said they want to spur a challenge to reach the Supreme Court, giving the justices a chance to revisit the 1993 Roe v. Wade decision that created a national right to abortion with few restrictions.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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