Speaking with MSNBC’s Chuck Todd, Montana governor and current Democratic presidential candidate Steve Bullock responded to the heated national argument about abortion by saying that America should actually promote Roe V. Wade rather than attack it.
Todd asked, “What limits would you put on abortion?”
Bullock responded, “These are decisions that should not be made by legislators. 1973, Roe V. Wade, is still the law of the land. Opposed to attacking it, we should actually be promoting it. And we should be both codifying the opportunities under Roe V. Wade and at state level I haven’t allowed any restrictions.”
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Bullock doubled down, saying, “Ultimately, the Supreme Court settled this 45 years ago. It’s not my decision to be making a decision that a woman needs to make in consultation with her doctor, her family, her faith … I would say that life begins at viability, but either way it’s not up to people like me to be making these decisions, not what I think, it’s what does an individual woman need to do with her body and with her health care.”
On May 8, Bullock vetoed state Senate Bill 354, The Montana Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which stated:
If an abortion results in the live birth of an infant, the infant is a legal person for all purposes under the laws of this state; it is not an infringement on a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy for this state to assert its interest in protecting an infant whose live birth occurred as the result of an abortion; and without proper legal protection, newly born infants who have survived abortions have been denied appropriate lifesaving or life-sustaining medical care and treatment and have been left to die. … the purposes of [sections 1 through 8] are to: ensure the protection and promotion of the health and well-being of all infants born alive in this state; and mandate that health care providers give medically appropriate and reasonable lifesaving and life-sustaining medical care and treatment to all born-alive infants.
In his veto, Bullock wrote, “Senate Bill 354 is a reflection of a divisive national debate that has little to do with the health of infants or women. Federal law already provides for protections and medical care for infants .… The situation SB 354 purportedly seeks to address is a medical practice that does not exist. This bill does nothing more than politicize decisions that are deeply personal and medically complex. I believe women, families and health care providers are best able to make these difficult medical decisions without political interference that is meant only to inflame and cause division.”
Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser ripped Bullock, saying, “Once again Governor Bullock sides with abortion extremists, going so far as to veto compassionate, popular legislation designed to provide care for children who survive failed abortions. Governor Bullock is no moderate when it comes to abortion, and we’re exposing his extremist record to the voters.”