Maryland’s lone Republican congressman U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, who represents the first district, said he would support a national abortion ban if a fetus has a heartbeat.
If the legislation was passed by Congress, abortions after six weeks into a pregnancy would be illegal nationwide. The six week mark is often before many women know they might be pregnant.
Former Vice President Mike Pence and other Republicans are raising the possibility of seeking a federal ban on abortion, following the Supreme Court’s decision Friday to strike down Roe v Wade.
When asked about a nationwide abortion ban, Harris said his vote would depend on the details of the bill.
“I’m on record,” Harris said. “I would support a heartbeat bill. I think we should protect infant lives after the heartbeat is detected.”
Medical experts have taken issue with the term “fetal heartbeat,” saying embryos haven’t developed a heart so early in a pregnancy.
“Medical experts have taken issue with the term “fetal heartbeat…”
“Taken issue with” is a polite, neutered term for “completely reject”. This isn’t over an opinion. They are rejecting a falsehood: there is neither a heart nor an audible beat.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Andy Harris knows better and is just going along with a lie. At best, he’s simply ill informed and wrong about this false threshold. Either way, I’m thankful he’s not my representative.