Rep. Jeffries presses panel witness on lack of rape, incest exceptions in Texas abortion law
During a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., questioned witness Catherine Glenn Foster, CEO of Americans United for Life, about the lack of exceptions for rape and incest in the Texas abortion law, known as S.B. 8.
Video Transcript
HAKEEN JEFFRIES: Miss foster, the Texas law doesn't start at 22 weeks, is that correct in terms of its restriction?
CATHERINE GLENN FOSTER: That is correct.
HAKEEN JEFFRIES: I thought that six weeks, is that true?
CATHERINE GLENN FOSTER: It does.
HAKEEN JEFFRIES: OK, so I'm not really certain, what the prior conversation was about?
- Would the gentleman yield?
HAKEEN JEFFRIES: No, I won't. If under the Texas abortion ban, someone who misses that six week window, would be forced to carry their pregnancy to term, even if they were raped, is that correct?
CATHERINE GLENN FOSTER: Under the Texas law that the protections for the mother and for the child start with that detection of the heartbeat at six weeks, Yes.
HAKEEN JEFFRIES: Right. So there is no exception beyond the six week period for rape, correct?
CATHERINE GLENN FOSTER: You know, when we're talking about-- about rape, it is a horrible tragedy, period. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about that. And we need to rid the world of those kinds of actions. But nowhere in our justice system is there ever a time, when the innocent has to pay for the crime of another, for the crime of the father. The killing of a baby for the crimes of his or her father is never justice, in fact, that's injustice.
HAKEEN JEFFRIES: The question is, is there a rape? Exception, the answer is no and the question that's interesting because you were talking with my former colleagues about public sentiment. Is the absence of a rape exception popular amongst the American people or even the people in the Great state of Texas?
CATHERINE GLENN FOSTER: Yes. 55% of Texans support the heartbeat law, let alone something as far along as 22 weeks. So Yes, most Americans and most Texans do support this heartbeat law.
HAKEEN JEFFRIES: Yeah, that's very inconsistent and that wasn't an answer to the question that I asked. Let's go to another particular issue, if someone misses this six week window and the pregnancy resulted from incest, would they still be forced to carry that baby to term?
CATHERINE GLENN FOSTER: Again, I would simply say the child does not deserve the death penalty for the father's crime. And so the heartbeat bill is protecting children from the moment that heartbeat is detected.
HAKEEN JEFFRIES: Right. So there's no incest exception in the Texas so-called statute, is that correct?
CATHERINE GLENN FOSTER: Wouldn't that fall under rape as well?
HAKEEN JEFFRIES: I see, Yes or no question.
CATHERINE GLENN FOSTER: Correct.
HAKEEN JEFFRIES: Is there an incest exception, Yes or no?
CATHERINE GLENN FOSTER: There is no specific incest exception. But the child does not deserve to die because of the crime of a father.
