Republican Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson and Democratic Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen exchanged heated words during Thursday’s House Judiciary Committee hearing on Roe v. Wade.
Cohen claimed Canada is the “freest country in the world,” and described “several other nations” as freer than America due to having fewer restrictions on abortion. He called the return of abortion regulations to the states a “red herring,” comparing abortion restrictions to slavery and the Confederacy.
Johnson hit back at the Tennessee representative’s remarks, calling the U.S. the “the most free, most successful [and] most powerful nation” due to the nation living up to the American ideals of protecting the right to life.
“Your comments are absurd,” Johnson said as Cohen attempted to interrupt. “This hearing is absurd.”
“Your comments are absurd, you’re absurd!” Cohen said.
Johnson said American government officials have a constitutional obligation to “protect the sanctity of human life,” given that the Declaration of Independence declares citizens have an “inalienable right” to life. (RELATED: GOP Rep Presses Pro-Abortion Witnesses On Whether They Support ‘Infanticide’)
“This hearing is absurd,” Johnson continued. “The Democrat majority has called us here for this hearing entitled ‘The Threat To Individual Freedoms in a Post-Roe World.’ Come on. The first inalienable, individual freedom is the right to be born, the right to life. We declared that in our nation’s birth certificate. America should continue to uphold the sanctity of human life and state and local and federal governments have a duty, a constitutional responsibility, to protect that fundamental right.”
He criticized the pro-abortion movement and lawmakers for allegedly attempting to “trample on the individual freedoms” of those they disagree with, pointing to the pro-abortion group, Shut Down D.C., offer of $200 “bounties” for the disclosure of the whereabouts of conservative Supreme Court justices. Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh recently escaped a crowd of protesters outside a Morton’s Steakhouse in Washington D.C.
He then cited Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s call to “shut down” crisis pregnancy centers across the country.
“It’s appalling for her to say that,” he said. “There are 2,700 pregnancy centers all around this country, all 50 states. They’re supported by over 10,000 licensed medical professionals, they annually serve approximately 2 million women and men. I was a legal counselor for many of these pregnancy centers, I can tell you from my own experience they do exceptional, critical work. Why would anybody want to shut down pregnancy centers that exist to provide counseling, care, aid, and comfort for struggling mothers who just want to have their babies? It defies logic, but the answer is simple. Their extreme agenda demands it.”
He called out the Women’s Health Protection Act, which eliminate bans on third trimester and partial-birth abortions, restrictions on sex-selective abortions, and ultrasound requirements. All Senate Democrats except Joe Manchin of West Virginia voted in favor of the bill.