Sean Duffy, GOP Congressman, On Transvaginal Ultrasound: 'I Haven't Had One'

Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) answered a town-hall question about his position on transvaginal ultrasounds by joking that he hadn't had one, according to audio posted by Wisconsin Democrats Wednesday.

A questioner asked Duffy about his position on transvaginal ultrasounds on Feb. 21, and a GOP bill in the Wisconsin legislature requiring women to undergo ultrasounds before getting an abortion.

"I don’t know what a trans-vaginal ultrasound is?" Duffy said.

"You don't?" asked the questioner.

"I haven’t had one," Duffy said. The crowd in the room laughed.

The questioner asked him if he would support legislation on the federal level.

"I haven’t heard of it. And just like I told you, I’m pro-life, and I know that you are too, but I’m not willing to say I support what you’re talking about because I haven’t seen the bill, even though we’re probably in agreement on that issue," said Duffy.

While the bill in question does not necessarily mandate a transvaginal ultrasound, critics argue that it would essentially require it, because in women who are less than 12 weeks pregnant, the uterus may be blocked by the pelvis, requiring such a procedure to satisfy the law.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) signed a law requiring mandatory ultrasounds before abortions in March 2012, but a national outcry forced him to back off from a provision that would have required transvaginal ultrasounds.

State budget cuts have forced Planned Parenthood to close four clinics in Wisconsin after Gov. Scott Walker (R) and the Republican-controlled legislature eliminated funding.

(h/t TPM)