A Republican politician who was defending a new abortion bill claimed rape and incest could all be part of God’s will.

Oklahoma representative George Faught also said “the Lord uses all circumstances” while debating the amendment in the US state’s House of Representatives.

The bill would impose fines of $10,000, rising to $100,000, for any person who performs an abortion solely because of a diagnosis of Down’s syndrome or any other “genetic abnormality”.

“Is rape the will of God?” asked Rep. Cory Williams.

Mr Faught replied: “If you read the Bible, there’s actually a couple circumstances where that happened and the Lord uses all circumstances.

“I mean, you can go down that path, but it’s a reality, unfortunately.”

When Mr Williams pushed him on whether both rape and incest were the will of God, Mr Faught followed up: “It’s a great question to ask, and, obviously if it happens in someone’s life, it may not be the best thing that ever happened. But, so you’re saying that God is not sovereign with every activity that happens in someone’s life and can’t use anything and everything in someone’s life, and I disagree with that.”

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The HB1549 bill, introduced by Mr Faught, also said the woman would not be held criminally liable and could bring civil action against the physician.

KFOR.com reports that the bill passed with 67 votes to 16, and that more than 16 others abstained from voting.

A similar bill passed both the House and Senate last year, but Governor Mary Fallin vetoed it because she deemed it unconstitutional. HB 1549 now heads to the Senate.

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Abortion law varies across the US. At least 11 anti-abortion bills have been introduced to the House of Representatives in Oklahoma already this year, which includes women having to ask for the father’s written permission.