Survey Finds Most Americans Support Abortion Restrictions

Jan 20, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the nation prepares for the annual National Sanctity of Human Life Day this Sunday, a recent survey revealed that a majority of Americans believe that abortion should be limited; there should be stronger pro-life laws; taxpayers should not fund it in the United States or overseas; and they support the work of pregnancy resource centers.
 
Marist Poll released a survey this month, in partnership with the Knights of Columbus, that was conducted with 1,025 adults between January 6-9, 2023.
 
More than 69 percent of Americans would support ending all abortion no later than the first trimester. The poll found 44 percent of people want increased abortion restrictions, including eight percent that said abortion should not be allowed under any circumstance, ten percent only to save the life of the mother, and 26 percent in the case of rape or incest.
 
While 61 percent identify as “pro-choice” and 39 percent as “pro-life,” only 21 percent of Americans believe abortion should be available at any point in pregnancy — including 32 percent of Democrats, four percent of Republicans, and 20 percent of independents.
 
In addition, 91 percent of those polled say they support the work that pregnancy resource centers do, including 88 percent of Democrats.
 
The survey also found:
78 percent of Americans oppose forcing taxpayers to fund abortion overseas;
60 percent of Americans oppose forcing taxpayers to fund abortion in the United States;
94 percent oppose sex-selective abortions;
77 percent say people with religious objections should not be legally required to carry out abortions
60 percent of Americans oppose aborting a child because the child has been diagnosed with Down syndrome;
55 percent say employers with religious objections should not be forced to pay for abortion coverage in their employees’ insurance.

Recently the 118th U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill which mandates life-saving measures for babies that are born alive after an abortion. 

The House passed 220-210 HR 26, known as the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act,” sponsored by Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO). All Republican members voted in favor of the bill. Two Democrats, Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez, both of South Texas, also voted in favor of the bill and “present,” respectively. 

The bill, which now waits to be brought before the U.S. Senate, would require abortion facilities and medical providers to treat babies born alive after a failed abortion with the same level of care as they would any other newborn. If an abortion results in the live birth of an infant, the child is considered a legal person for all purposes under the laws of the United States and is entitled to all the protections of such laws. 

The bill states, “Any health care practitioner present at the time the child is born alive shall (A) exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care practitioner would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age; and (B) following the exercise of skill, care, and diligence required under subparagraph (A), ensure that the child born alive is immediately transported and admitted to a hospital.” 

HR 26 also adds penalties for medical providers that do not comply, and they could be subject to civil liability and criminal charges. For example, the bill specifies that “to prohibit a health care practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.” 

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “This is the first year since 1973 that America is not living under the deadly shadow of Roe v. Wade. We must never stop fighting for the preborn and newborn and we must restore a culture of life in this nation. We must make the womb a safe place once again in America.” 

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