Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) urged activists to avoid letting the fast-moving debate among House Republicans over a 20-week abortion ban bill devolve into a discussion over “legitimate rape.”

Graham’s comments at the Family Research Council’s ProLifeCon on Thursday come as House Republicans grapple with a provision of a routine 20-week abortion messaging bill requiring sexual assault victims to first go to the police before seeking an abortion. House Republicans recently pulled the bill after a revolt from a number of women in the House GOP caucus.

Graham, in his speech, said opponents of giving exceptions allowing abortions in the case of rape and incest were being “intellectually honest.” He also said that his goal is “to focus on the child. I’ve always said exceptions for the life of the mother, rape and incest.” Graham acknowledged that some people didn’t agree with that position.

“I’m going to do more than bring my bill up. I’m going to need your help to find a way out of this definitional problem of rape,” Graham said. “We just need to find a consensus position on the rape exception. The rape exception will be part of the bill. That’s the Hyde position. We just need to find a way, definitionally, to not get us in a spot about where we’re debating what legitimate rape is. That’s not the cause that we’re in. We’re not here debating legitimate rapes. We’re here talking about saving babies at 20 weeks.”

Watch the video of Graham’s remarks, via RightWingWatch.org below: