Newly-elected House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), who has a well-documented record against reproductive rights, claimed that he doesn’t recall voting against fertility treatments or birth control.
Johnson, who was elected by House Republicans to the speakership three weeks after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his post, made an appearance on Fox News Sunday with host Shannon Bream. While bringing up criticism from a political action committee called EMILY’s List, Bream asked where Johnson stood on issues regarding in vitro fertilization, birth control and abortion rights.
“He supported bans that would not only criminalize abortion, but ban IVF treatments and common forms of birth control, and that you voted against access to contraception,” Bream said to Johnson, quoting EMILY’s List. “Is that an accurate assessment of where you are? Because that’s not in step with the American people.”
A 2022 poll by Gallup found that 92% of Americans believed that taking birth control was morally acceptable and 62% believed that abortion was morally acceptable.
Johnson disagreed with the assessment.
“I’m pro-life. I’ve said very clearly I’m a Bible-believing Christian. I believe in the sanctity of every single human life,” Johnson said. He went on to claim that there are more pressing issues that the lawmakers are dealing with at the moment — including government funding and international crises.
“To be clear, though, have you voted against fertility treatments and access to contraception? Would you?” Bream asked.
“I don’t think so. I’m not sure what they’re talking about. I really don’t remember any of those measures, but I am personally pro-life,” the “extreme” Louisiana Republican responded.
Up until recently, Johnson was a low profile member of Congress, but he has been a staunch supporter of anti-abortion efforts. For example, Johnson is one of 29 co-sponsors for a January 2023 bill aiming to defund Planned Parenthood. He also voted against the Right to Contraception Act — which still managed to pass in the House last year — that would codify access to birth control.
He has even spread unsupported claims that some forms of birth control are abortion medications, Rolling Stone reported.
A representative for Johnson did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.