Politics

‘I’m Not A Biologist’: Judge Jackson Declines To Answer Whether A 20-Week-Old Unborn Child Can Live Outside The Womb

[Screenshot/Rumble/C-SPAN]

Nicole Silverio Media Reporter
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Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson declined to answer whether a 20-week-old unborn child can live outside of the womb at her Wednesday confirmation hearing.

Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn asked Jackson whether a 20-week-old unborn child is capable of surviving outside of the womb, saying a child would “need to be fed, sheltered and all of the other essentials to sustain human life.”

“Senator, I’m not a biologist,” she replied. “I haven’t studied this. I don’t know.”

“You don’t know whether an unborn child can live outside the womb at 20 weeks gestation?” Cornyn pressed.

The nominee said the Supreme Court has established the right for a woman to terminate her pregnancy up to the point of viability and has “tests and standards” in place to properly regulate abortion.

Jackson referred to the 1973 landmark case Roe v. Wade, where the Supreme Court ruled that a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy up to the point of fetal viability — 24-28 weeks gestation — while allowing states to regulate abortion procedures after the viability point.

A fetus born prior to 24-weeks gestation typically has below a 50% chance of survival, according to the University of Utah. Infants born prematurely have a 40% chance of suffering from long-term health complications. (RELATED: ‘I Agree With Justice Barrett’: Jackson Dodges On Court-Packing Again)

Jackson also declined to provide a definition for the term “woman” during her Tuesday hearing when pressed by Republican Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn. She gave the senator the same answer, saying, “I’m not a biologist.”

When further pressed if providing a definition was too controversial, Jackson said her role as a judge is to settle disputes about a definition and make a final decision after proper review.

Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy asked Jackson Tuesday when she believes life begins, to which the nominee said she did not know. She added she sets her religious views on the beginning of life aside when deciding legal cases.