May 12, 2022 |
In the U.S. Senate Wednesday, a Democrat-led attempt to expand abortion and override state laws at the federal level was defeated. The largely symbolic vote came up short of the simple majority needed, failing 49-51. Wyoming’s two senators, John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, voted against the bill as did all the Republicans.
The authors of the bill and much of the mainstream media repeatedly referred to the Heath Protection Act as an attempt to codify Roe vs. Wade as it faces being overturned after 50 years.
Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virgin, who voted against the bill, said it the legislation was an attempt to expand abortion rather than codification of the 1973 Supreme Court ruling.
Recent polling shows Americans want some limits on abortion. The bill defeated yesterday would have barred 6-week and 20-week bans. It also would have prohibited ultrasound and waiting period policies in place in some states. Senator Barrasso said the bill would have “legalized unlimited, on-demand abortions.”
The senator added, “Legalizing abortion on demand, for any reason, at any time, is wrong. I will continue to oppose policies that indiscriminately end the lives of unborn children.”
Yesterday’s outcome was not unexpected after a nearly identical bill failed at the end of February on a 46-48 vote.
Senate Republicans used yesterday’s vote and the language in the bill to characterize how radical and anti-life Democrats have become compared to most Americans. Democrats, meanwhile, hoped the defeat will mobilize their base ahead of the mid-term elections.
