2022 IA Senate race: on Abortion

Chuck Grassley: No national abortion ban, but state bans are ok

Grassley has previously cosponsored another bill of Graham's that would ban abortion after 20 weeks, with those same exceptions. That bill was introduced in 2021, when Roe v. Wade was still in effect. Grassley said with Roe struck down, abortion is no longer a federal issue; it's a state issue. He said the U.S. Supreme Court made the right decision in overturning Roe v. Wade, and decisions about restrictions on abortion should be made by elected representatives. "Obviously it could be at the federal level, but we've been waiting for a long period of time to get this back to the states," Grassley said, "and that's where it should be and that's where I want it to be."

Michael Franken: Codify Roe v. Wade into law

Franken has said he supports codifying Roe v. Wade into law. But when asked Thursday how such a bill should define viability, Franken said it shouldn't be a government decision. "The short of it is during these most private times, personal times in a woman's life, we shouldn't have the government stepping in to determine when viability exists, etc.," he said. "The doctor knows this. The woman knows this. This is not something for government to step in and make those determinations."