Republicans Block Senate Bill To Protect Abortion Access
The bill would have allowed termination of pregnancy of up to 24 weeks, amongst other protections.
In light of the leaked Supreme Court draft majority opinion that threatens to overturn Roe v. Wade, Democrats in the Senate attempted to counter the measure.
The Women’s Health Protection Act, new legislation that would codify Roe v. Wade into federal law, failed in the Senate today.
The bill would have allowed termination of pregnancy of up to 24 weeks, halted the limit of certain drugs, and protected providers who perform abortions as well as anyone whose pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk.
However, the final count of 49-51 caused the bill to fall short, with the bill’s failure to pass largely owing due to the Senate’s 50-50 split.
Following the failure of the bill, President Joe Biden spoke out against Republican opposition in an official statement, “Once again — as fundamental rights are at risk at the Supreme Court — Senate Republicans have blocked passage of the Women's Health Protection Act, a bill that affirmatively protects access to reproductive health care. This failure to act comes at a time when women's constitutional rights are under unprecedented attack — and it runs counter to the will of the majority of American people.”