A Republican-led filibuster obstructed the passage a bill that would have codified some of the tenets Roe v. WadeConservative justices are currently threatening to overturn the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that established abortion rights and protections.
The bill, titled the Women’s Health Protection Act, Would have established a right for all citizens to access abortion care. It would also have increased abortion access by limiting the state’s ability to restrict the procedure, ending any measures that discourage individuals from having an abortion like mandated ultrasounds and biased counseling.
Notably, Sen. Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat from West Virginia, voted for the filibuster. He defied his fellow senators and chose to shoot down what some observers have described as the last “viable path to keeping abortion legal.”
“Abortion is a fundamental right. Women’s decisions over women’s health care belong to women, not to extremist right-wing legislatures,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) said ahead of the vote.
Manchin’s decision to stand with his party would have resulted in the same outcome, but it was different. join the GOP Abortion rights activists condemned the imposition of legislation that would have guaranteed the right to abortion in the United States.
“What’s the point of Joe Manchin?” asked podcast host and political commentator Danielle Moodie, noting that the senator “blocks abortion rights, voting rights, climate change and child tax credits” in Congress.
Although the measure was shot down by Manchin and Republicans, Monday’s vote was historic, marking the first Senate votecodifying the protections that were established in Roe.
The bill has already passed the House of Representatives had 48 Democratic cosponsors in the Senate. The only Democrats to refuse to endorse the bill were Sen. Bob Casey (D. Pennsylvania), Manchin, and Senator Bob Casey. Casey voted for the bill along with his party on Monday.
A federal law on abortion is essential, especially considering that the Supreme Court is currently deciding whether to keep or not. Roe In place. If the Court reverses the half century-old precedent that this ruling established, many states across the country would return to pre-Roe Even though laws are technically still in place, they ban abortion.
Actors and legislators pledged to continue pushing for legislation that recognizes abortion rights.
“The majority of Americans agree that Roe v. Wade should remain the law of the land and I’m going to keep fighting for this,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) said.
“We’re not going to give up. We’re not going to go away,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington) added.
“Although #WHPA failed to advance today because of opponents of abortion in the Senate, we will continue advocating for protection of abortion at the federal and state levels,” abortion provider and activist Kristyn Brandi said on Twitter. “Our patients deserve access to this safe, essential health care.”
