Senate Fails to Pass 20-Week Abortion Ban

Joe Manchin of West Virginia voted in favor.

On Monday, the U.S. Senate voted 51 to 46 to block a bill banning abortions performed after 20 weeks gestation. It is shameful and disgraceful that this measure should be before the Congress.

Supporters of the bill argued that medical advances mean a fetus can sometimes survive outside the womb between 20 weeks and 24 weeks, which is the current limit on abortions.

The bill does exempt women who require an abortion quite literally to save their lives, as well as rape and incest survivors, but the legislation does not include exemptions for health conditions or severe fetal anomalies, which often can’t be detected until the 20-week ultrasound.

Abortion foes say that if enough states pass such bans, Congress will be more likely to follow.

Sixteen states now ban abortion after 20 weeks. Patty Murray, D-Washington, said on the Senate floor Monday afternoon. But NARAL Colorado, a pro-choice political group, slammed Gardner’s vote.

Democrats said Republicans were wasting time on a “politically-motivated, partisan bill”, according to ABC News. The legislation faces an uphill battle in the Senate, where Republicans don’t have 60 votes necessary to overcome a filibuster from Senate Democrats, who blocked a similar bill in 2015. Va., who voted for the bill, said holding election-year votes on bills tied to divisive issues is the reality of the modern Senate.

Immediately after Heitkamp voted against stopping late-term abortions on babies who feel pain, SBA List announced a digital ad campaign against her in North Dakota.

“I hope this time Republicans listen”.

Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, joined with Democrats voting “no”.

Casey’s office told THE WEEKLY STANDARD that the Pennsylvania Democrat still supports Graham’s bill.

The abortion ban, which passed the House in October 2017, violates longstanding Supreme Court precedent established in Roe v. Wade and reaffirmed in 2016 in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt.

Editorial writers express views about a pending bill to ban abortion at 20 weeks and how doctors can now discriminate against women seeking an abortion. There have also been an unprecedented number of Trump judges confirmed to serve on the federal bench, which is the last line of defense against anti-abortion policy at the state level.

Despite all the high-profile legislation, abortions after 20 weeks are relatively rare.. “We want to get vulnerable Democrats who are up for re-election this year on the record once again”.