Republicans Release Midterm Agenda: Nationwide Abortion Ban on the Table

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy laid out an ambitious and controversial agenda for the Republican party after the midterms. Source: "Rep. Kevin McCarthy [...] legislative program" by Talk Media News Archived Galleries is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

On September 23rd, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R—Calif.) unveiled the Republican party’s agenda ahead of the midterms, confronting President Biden and outlining the party’s plans if they regain control of Congress. 

Speaking at a rally in Monongahela, Pa., McCarthy, who is poised to take the speaker’s gavel if Republicans regain control of the House, presented the GOP’s “Commitment to America” agenda. This sweeping plan centers around four main pillars: “An Economy that’s Strong”, “A Nation That’s Safe”, “A Future That’s Built on Freedom” and “A Government That’s Accountable.”

The economic portion of the agenda focuses on lowering taxes while citing inflation and supply chain problems as the major issues Republicans would tackle if they were to gain the majority. 

"We want an economy that is strong," McCarthy said. "That means you can fill up your tank. You can buy the groceries. You have enough money left over to go to Disneyland and save for a future. That the paychecks grow, they no longer shrink. We have a plan for a nation that's safe. That means your community will be protected. Your law enforcement will be respected. Your criminals will be prosecuted. We believe in a future that's built on freedom. That your children come first. They're taught to dream big. And we believe in a check and balance — that government should be accountable." 

One crisis which the plan deems a failure of Democratic leadership is this summer’s baby formula shortage which led to formula stock issues over 70% of the country. Some pundits have noted the irony of Republicans including this crisis, since when Democrats introduced a bill in the House to ease the formula shortage, 192 House Republicans — including McCarthy — voted against the bill. 

Despite this, the Commitment to America plan claims that, “The silence from the White House and the FDA was unacceptable as parents across the country worried about feeding their children.”

The Commitment to America plan also tackles two social issues which have been at the center of public debate this year: abortion rights & LGBTQ+ rights. The language in the plan is broad and lacks specifics; however, it appears to be a continuation of the policies which Republicans have been pushing at the state level. Republicans claim they will “protect the lives of unborn children and their mothers” and “ensure that only women can compete in women’s sports.”

This language appears to signal that a nationwide abortion ban is on the table should Republicans win the House in November. Prominent Republicans such as Lindsey Graham (R—S.C.) and 123 House Republicans co-sponsored the Heartbeat Protection Act (H.R.705) which would effectively ban abortion altogether at the federal level. As abortion restrictions pass through state legislatures across the nation, multiple Republican lawmakers have failed to carve out exceptions in the case of rape, incest and fetal complications which has put the lives of pregnant women in those states at risk. 

On public safety, the Commitment to America plan promises to continue the same Trump-era anti-immigration policies furthered Republicans over the last decade. Republicans promise to eliminate welfare incentives for all immigrants, to continue the militarization of the border and to require proof of legal status to gain employment across the country. 

Republicans also pledge to oppose any efforts to defund the police and plan to hire 200,000 more police officers across the country. This comes just over a two years after the murder of George Floyd which preceded a summer of massive protests across not only the country, but the entire world, sparking a debate over the ethics of policing in America. 

McCarthy, against a backdrop of House Republicans including controversial members such as Marjory Taylor Greene (R—Ga.) and Jim Jordan (R—Ohio), regarded the controversial agenda in a positive light. 

“Imagine, a House that actually fights for American families instead of making their lives harder,” Greene said. 

Biden hit back at McCarthy’s agenda in a speech to the National Education Association, dismissing the plans as “a thin series of policy goals with little or no detail.”

While the Commitment to America plan lacks many policy specifics, especially in regards to reproductive health, voters should expect to see the expansion of Republican state level policy to the federal level.