A Senate hearing on chemical abortion drugs exploded into a national debate this week after Republican Senators Josh Hawley and Ashley Moody pressed an OB-GYN on whether men can get pregnant. The exchange spread online within hours, fueling one of the first major political confrontations of the year.
The session took place during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing titled “Protecting Women: Exposing the Dangers of Chemical Abortion Drugs” at the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
After the exchange, Hawley posted the video with the caption, “SPOILER ALERT: Men cannot get pregnant.” Minutes later he added, “Can men get pregnant? Not a difficult question.”
Moody posted the same clip and asked, “Can men get pregnant?”
Moody Questions Verma And Hawley Steps In
During the hearing, Moody asked OB-GYN Dr. Nisha Verma whether men could become pregnant. Verma responded carefully, saying she did not know the direction of the question and noting she treats patients with various identities.
Her hesitation prompted Hawley to immediately intervene.
According to the transcript, Hawley asked, “Well, the goal is, is the truth. Can men get pregnant?”
He pressed further. “The goal is to establish a biological reality,” he said. “I just want to know, based on the science, can men get pregnant? That’s a yes or no question. It really is, I think.”
Verma Declines To Give A Direct Answer
Verma pushed back, saying the framing of the question was political and that she wanted to avoid contributing to polarization. She continued to decline a direct answer, insisting she preferred a broader conversation rather than a binary one.
Hawley eventually responded by tying the issue back to the hearing’s purpose.
“For the record, it’s women who get pregnant, not men,” he said. “We are here about the safety of women and science that shows that this abortion drug causes adverse health events.”
Lawmakers Clash Over Abortion Pill Safety
The hearing also featured testimony from Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and Dr. Monique Chireau Wubbenhorst, as senators debated the safety and regulation of abortion pills.
While Hawley’s office directed inquiries to his public posts, Moody issued a sharp statement. “The agenda-driven and radicalized Democrats will overlook not only scientific fact but the harsh and dangerous consequences of their mission to ensure there are absolutely no restrictions to abortion on demand,” she said. “Today’s hearing put that on full display.”
A Heated Preview Of The 2026 Midterm Battle
The HELP Committee hearing signals that gender, abortion, and cultural debates will likely dominate the political landscape heading into the 2026 midterms. This early flashpoint suggests many more confrontations are on the way.
