What does “national minimum standard” for abortion mean?

During the vice president debate on Oct. 1, 2024, CBS anchor Norah O’Donnell asked Republican U.S. Senator JD Vance explained why he switched from supporting a federal abortion ban to later opposing such a move after 15 weeks. Shortly after the 49:19 timestamp in the video below, Vance countered by claiming that he “never supported a national ban” (which was itself a false claim) and instead spoke about while running for Senate in 2022 the determination ““a national minimum standard” for abortions.

Vance did not elaborate on the meaning of that sentence, nor did the moderators seek clarification.

While Vance was debating Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, former US President Donald Trump said on X and Truth Social that he would not support a federal abortion ban if re-elected and would actually veto such a bill, if it was on his desk, which Vance claimed he had done before.

Several news outlets then published headlines about Trump’s commitment to veto a federal abortion ban.

However, numerous abortion rights activists and Democratic politicians claimed that a “national minimum standard” for abortion was just another name for a national abortion ban.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., wrote on You mean a national abortion ban. That is and always has been the goal of the MAGA GOP.

Although the news magazine The Atlantic Vance claimed “simply introduced a new euphemism” for a national abortion ban when the phrase “national minimum standard” was used during the year In the debate, conservative politicians and anti-abortion activists have used the term for years, although its meaning often goes under the radar.

So what do politicians and activists mean when they talk about a “national minimum standard” for abortion? And how does it differ, if at all, from a federal abortion ban?

What is a “national minimum standard” for abortion?

A “national minimum standard” for abortion is framed differently by those who support abortion rights and those who oppose abortion. Both positions are explained below:

Definition of conservatives

The 2024 election exposed fissures within the GOP over abortion policy. Many conservatives supported a so-called “national minimum standard” that would ban abortions at the federal level after a certain number of weeks of pregnancy; in most cases 15 weeks. Some politicians advocated a “national minimum standard” that would ban abortions after that 15-week limit, with the so-called three exceptions – rape, incest and protection of the mother’s life. Others have indicated they support it a nationwide ban on abortion without exceptions.

Former Vice President in June 2023 Mike Pence explained at a meeting of leading Christian conservatives: “We must not rest and we must not relent until we have put the sanctity of life back at the center of American law in every state in this country. Every Republican presidential candidate should support an abortion ban before 15 weeks as the federal minimum standard.”

Some abortion opponents said they use this language because they believe it describes their position more accurately than the word “ban.”

“Prohibition means everything, so a federal limit means a partial ban. Ban is not the word we use because it is not correct,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America an interview in 2023 with the New York Times.

Conservatives have used the term since at least 2022, when South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham sponsored legislation that would establish a “national minimum standard.” Only allow abortions up to 15 weeks the pregnancy – for which Vance signaled his support several times during his Senate run.

“I will continue to argue that there should be a national minimum standard that limits abortion to fifteen weeks because the child is capable of feeling pain, with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother,” Graham said in an April 2024 statement from Trump after the former president announced he believed abortion was a states’ rights issue.

In short, “national minimum standard” is not an official term and its meaning is not set in stone, which may be partly intentional or at least practical for conservatives as they address both sides of the abortion debate. For example, a study from 2023 Public religious research institute found Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Americans support the legality of abortion in all or most cases. But the Trump campaign also wants support from major anti-abortion groups such as: Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, Students for Life and National Right to Life, among others.

Definition of abortion rights activists

From the perspective of many Democrats and abortion rights activists, any federal abortion legislation that restricts the procedure is an exception somewhere is a ban. Although proposals for a “national minimum standard” do not constitute one in total Ban, that’s what they are A Ban in the eyes of these groups.

Snopes contacted the Center for Reproductive Rights, although they were unable to do so As a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization, they comment on candidates or the election, saying via email that “this language is being used throughout the anti-abortion movement to mislead the public.” The organization wrote:

What they mean is a nationwide abortion ban, but they know that the majority of Americans don’t support such a ban, so they call it something else and hope people don’t notice. This is a classic tactic of the anti-abortion movement – ​​disguising its extreme beliefs in language that sounds reasonable.

Jessica Valenti, author of Abortion: Our bodies, their lies and the truths with which we win” said on X she “hit them drum about “national minimum standards” and the Conservatives’ war on the word “ban” for over a year.

Valenti wrote by email that when Trump and Vance say they don’t support a ban, that’s “rhetorically like they’re crossing their fingers behind their backs,” and that Vance has made it clear that what the Most Americans understand a ban on abortion; he calls for a minimum standard. She wrote:

That is, when Trump/Vance say they oppose a “ban” or would veto a “ban,” they are talking about a total ban without a single exception. And when they say they support a “national minimum standard” or restriction, they are talking about a ban on abortion at some point in pregnancy with at least one restriction.

Where are Trump and Vance now?

In March 2024, Trump himself indicated his support for a 15-week abortion ban, as we previously reported. His campaign then abandoned that stance and opted for this instead reject a recommendation for a national abortion ban in April 2024 and announced that he supports state-set abortion limits.

Snopes reached out to Vance’s team to clarify how the campaign currently defines a “national minimum standard” and whether Vance currently supports any current legislation regarding a national minimum standard. However, at this time we have not received a response.

Trump’s team did not answer the same questions directly, responding via email as follows:

President Trump has long consistently supported the right of states to decide on abortion and has made it very clear that he will NOT sign a federal ban when he is back in the White House. President Trump also supports universal access to contraception and IVF. In contrast, Kamala Harris and the Democrats have completely lost touch with the majority of Americans with their support for abortion up to birth and requiring taxpayers to fund it.

In summary…

Although Trump and Vance have stated that they do not support a national abortion ban and would in fact veto such a bill, Democratic politicians, abortion rights activists and reproductive rights organizations have pointed out that when Republican politicians discuss a “national abortion ban ” discuss, ” You are talking about a total ban without a single exception. As far as we can tell, a “national minimum standard” would still be an effective ban some Abortions nationwide, with the possible exception of rape, incest or the life of the mother.

For this reason, it is clear that abortion rights advocates view the “national minimum standard” proposed by some conservative politicians and the anti-abortion movement as tantamount to a federal ban on abortion.