Ohio GOP Rep. Jean Schmidt appeared on a radio show this week and said she would consider the possibility of outlawing birth control in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, Cleveland.com reports.
Schmidt, who is sponsoring a bill that would eliminate abortion from the time of conception, also told 700WLW’s Bill Cunningham that companies that pay travel expenses for employees to obtain abortions out of state should face legal consequences.
“When we get back into session, we’ll probably have one or two more hearings on it and then it will go before our body and the Senate for a concurrent vote. I do believe we have the votes in both chambers, and we have the full support of the governor on this bill,” Schmidt said, adding that the bill would provide no exceptions for rape or incest.
“You know, rape and incest is an ugly, ugly, ugly act of violence and that woman is truly harmed and scarred. Those wounds will never go away,” she said. “We need to make sure she has all of the love and help and support. But to end the pregnancy of the child is not going to erase the wounds or those scars. That child still has the right to life.”
When asked about banning birth control, Schmidt said she would consider it.
“That’s another issue for another day and I’m going to have to listen to both sides of the debate,” she said. “Right now, what I’m concerned about right now is the life of the child and the fact that we have the opportunity in Ohio to protect it from its conception until its natural death.”
