Senate Democrats fail to pass federal pro-abortion law

On Wednesday afternoon, Senate Democrats were unable to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would have codified the right to get an abortion into law.

The act had to reach a 60-vote threshold to pass in the evenly divided Senate chamber. The legislation received 49 votes in favor, and 51 against, with Democrat Senator Joe Manchin voting alongside all 50 Republicans against it.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced last week that the chamber would be holding a vote on the act, following the leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court which indicated that a majority of the justices would vote to overturn Roe v Wade.
The act prohibits restrictions on both obtaining and performing abortions.

"A health care provider has a statutory right under this Act to provide abortion services, and may provide abortion services, and that provider’s patient has a corresponding right to receive such services," the legislation states, listing off a number of limitations that would not have been be permitted under the new law.