A witness at an abortion-rights hearing expertly rebuffed an inflammatory question from Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) on Wednesday. (Watch the video below.)
At a Senate subcommittee hearing that focused on interstate travel for abortions as more states restrict the procedure, Kennedy mentioned a woman who supposedly asked for an abortion in her 34th week of pregnancy.
Should the mother at that juncture have the right clearly a viable child to abort the child? Kennedy asked one witness, who said he didnt want to engage in hypotheticals.
Thats what your side always says, Kennedy sneered. My examples not unrealistic. I wanna save my time. If your answers gonna be, That never happens, let me go to Ms. Frye. What do you think?
Jocelyn Frye, the president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, gave Kennedy a forceful response that refused to indulge right-wing fearmongering about extremely late procedures.
First of all, dont ask a question if you dont want to know the answer, Frye snapped. But Im saying to you, Senator, 1%, 1% of abortions happen at 21 weeks or later. So I think the premise of your question sets up a conversation about abortion that is unfair. It is rarely is that ever the instance. The vast majority of pregnancies and abortions that are considered late in a pregnancy have to do with severe, devastating medical circumstances.
She wasnt done.
And I understand your point, Senator. I understand your point. But with all due respect, I also think the chances of people sort of getting all the way through a pregnancy and just sort of saying, I dont want it, is disrespectful to women, she added.
Support Free Journalism
Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.
Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
Fryes reply was seconded by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), who presided over the meeting. He shared the exchange on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote: At my hearing on the freedom to travel for abortion care, Senator Kennedy asked our witnesses to respond to a sensationalized, highly unrealistic hypothetical aimed at stoking fear. Ms. Fryes response says it all.
At my hearing on the freedom to travel for abortion care, Senator Kennedy asked our witnesses to respond to a sensationalized, highly unrealistic hypothetical aimed at stoking fear.
Ms. Fryes response says it all. pic.twitter.com/UOXlyN1ly4
At my hearing on the freedom to travel for abortion care, Senator Kennedy asked our witnesses to respond to a sensationalized, highly unrealistic hypothetical aimed at stoking fear.
Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) June 13, 2024
Ms. Fryes response says it all. pic.twitter.com/UOXlyN1ly4
Frye later thanked Democrats on the committee for allowing her to testify. The right to travel must be protected to ensure that all people can access essential care whenever they need it, she wrote on X .
Support Free Journalism
Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.
Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
Thank you to the @JudiciaryDems for allowing me to testify this afternoon! The right to travel must be protected to ensure that all people can access essential care whenever they need it. pic.twitter.com/kRYGmk7yDW
Jocelyn Frye (@jocelyncfrye) June 12, 2024","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Jocelyn Frye","author_url":"https://twitter.com/jocelyncfrye","cache_age":86400,"description":"Thank you to the @JudiciaryDems for allowing me to testify this afternoon! The right to travel must be protected to ensure that all people can access essential care whenever they need it. pic.twitter.com/kRYGmk7yDW Jocelyn Frye (@jocelyncfrye) June 12, 2024\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Jocelyn Frye on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/jocelyncfrye/status/1800989754273550784","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"666abb94e4b01bc0ceee7bda","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/jocelyn-frye-john-kennedy-abortion-hearing_n_666abb94e4b01bc0ceee7bda","entryTagsList":"abortion,us-senate,sheldon-whitehouse,john-kennedy,@us_huffpost_now","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"women,health","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/9b7f041e-2798-4d1a-94bc-31a75e6318fd/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":12},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"666abb94e4b01bc0ceee7bda","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Abortion","slug":"abortion","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/abortion","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/abortion","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/abortion"},"section":{"title":"Women","slug":"women"},"topic":{"title":"Abortion","slug":"abortion","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/topic/abortion"},{"name":"U.S. Senate","slug":"us-senate","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/us-senate","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/us-senate","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/us-senate"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"U.S. Senate","slug":"us-senate","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/us-senate"},{"name":"Sheldon Whitehouse","slug":"sheldon-whitehouse","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/sheldon-whitehouse","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/sheldon-whitehouse","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/sheldon-whitehouse"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/sheldon-whitehouse"},{"name":" john kennedy","slug":"john-kennedy","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/john-kennedy","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/john-kennedy","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/john-kennedy"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/john-kennedy"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["\r\n\r\n","\r\n\r\n","\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}">Thank you to the @JudiciaryDems for allowing me to testify this afternoon! The right to travel must be protected to ensure that all people can access essential care whenever they need it. pic.twitter.com/kRYGmk7yDW
Jocelyn Frye (@jocelyncfrye) June 12, 2024
Support Free Journalism
Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.
Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
_(720p).jpg)
 OFFICIAL HD MUSIC VIDEO.jpg)
.jpg)
