Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky on Wednesday claimed to be ignorant of the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, even though he sponsored the legislation twice.

At a press event in Kentucky, LEO Weekly asked Paul why he supported the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, but not the Violence Against Women Act. Paul replied he was “not familiar with the details” of the anti-abortion bill.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act would make it a federal crime for any adult to transport a minor across state lines to have an abortion without the consent of her parents. Paul cosponsored the bill in 2011 and again in 2013.

“These laws allow teenagers to receive the advice and guidance of a loved one before undergoing a procedure for which they may not be medically or emotionally prepared,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who introduced the legislation, said in a statement last week. “Under current law, minors are subject to the exploitation and safety risks that often come from an overzealous interstate abortion industry.”

Critics of the legislation have warned it would violate medical confidentiality principles and could harm young women in troubled family situations.