On Wednesday, Senate Democrats failed to forward a radical new abortion bill that they claim would have codified into federal law the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The final vote was 49-51, with all Republicans as well as West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin voting against the bill. The bill needed a full 60 votes for the legislation to move forward.
Manchin, who describes himself as pro-life, claimed he would have voted for a clean bill that simply made Roe v. Wade the law of the land.
“I would vote for a Roe v. Wade codification if it was today — I was hopeful for that,” Manchin said on Wednesday. “But I found out yesterday in caucus that wasn’t going to be and you probably heard of that by now.”
“They’re trying to make people believe that this is the same thing as codifying Roe v. Wade. And I want you to know, it’s not. This is not the same. It expands abortion,” the senator told Politico.
The bill was a redux of the Women’s Health Protection Act, which failed in February in the same manner, when Manchin again joined 47 Republicans to deny cloture.
As Manchin said, the new legislation was far from simply codifying Roe v. Wade. The bill would have allowed almost unfettered access to abortions nationwide, and would have invalidated several state restrictions on abortion. Among pro-life practices that would be banned by the Senate’s bill were most state restrictions on abortion, including six-week and 20-week bans, mandatory ultrasounds, what the bill calls “biased counseling,” waiting periods, and requirements that providers obtain admitting privileges at local hospitals.
The bill was widely expected to fail, but Democrats used it as a campaign tool. Surely, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer understood he didn’t have the votes necessary to move the legislation forward but likely wanted to give senators facing re-election in November a vote they could show to their base.
The vote was largely a show where Democrats could feign moral outrage and appear concerned about “women’s issues,” at a time when many of them can’t define what a woman is. Even Vice President Kamala Harris showed up to gavel the vote’s defeat.
“I think it’s really important to have this vote to show where everyone stands,” said Senator Amy Klobucher (D-Minn.), indicating exactly why the vote was taken.
In a show of left-wing histrionics, a group of female House members led by Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) walked over toward the Senate side of the Capitol chanting, “my body, my decision.”
President Biden blasted Republicans for blocking the show vote: “As fundamental rights are at risk at the Supreme Court, Senate Republicans have blocked passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act. They have chosen to stand in the way of Americans’ rights to make the most personal decisions about their own bodies, families and lives.”
Biden issued a metaphorical call to arms for Democrat voters.
“To protect the right to choose, voters need to elect more pro-choice senators this November, and return a pro-choice majority to the House. If they do, Congress can pass this bill in January, and put it on my desk, so I can sign it into law,” Biden said.
Vice President Harris was on the same page as the president.
“This vote clearly suggests that the Senate is not where the majority of Americans are on this issue,” Harris said. “The priority is to elect pro-choice leaders.”
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who has been quite vocal since a leak at the Supreme Court revealed that Roe v. Wade may be overturned soon, called the vote “disgraceful,” and vowed to fight on for the right to kill babies. “Today’s failure to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act to codify #RoeVWade is disgraceful. We need #WHPA to prevent radical right-wing state legislatures from enacting extreme bills that deny abortion rights. This fight is not over — and I’m in it all the way.”
While the Democrats appear all in on a radical pro-abortion agenda, two pro-choice Republicans are in the process of drafting what they believe will be more reasonable legislation meant to codify Roe v. Wade. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) is reportedly working with Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) on a bill that would essentially codify both Roe v. Wade as well as Planned Parenthood v. Casey into federal law. That effort is being championed by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).
Thus far, Democrats have not been receptive to any compromise bill. For now, unrestricted abortion appears to be the hill they wish to die on.
