health care

Anti-abortion bills fail to advance in Senate vote

The measures were seen as messaging votes meant to challenge vulnerable Democrats and boost Republicans.

Mitch McConnell

The Senate failed to advance a pair of anti-abortion bills on Tuesday, the first votes on abortion-related bills Congress has held in an election year when abortion access is playing a prominent role in campaigns.

The votes, which failed largely along party lines, were meant to rally social conservatives closely aligned with Republicans and President Donald Trump, while also putting pressure on vulnerable Democrats up for reelection this fall.

All Republicans except Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) voted for a bill banning abortion after 20 weeks, while Democratic Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) supported the measure. All four lawmakers, meanwhile, voted for a bill requiring doctors to provide care to survivors of failed abortions.







Similar bills have failed to gain traction in the Democratic-controlled House, where Republicans have failed so far in their effort to force a floor vote on the measures. Democrats argue the "born alive" policy is unnecessary because there are already laws protecting infants, and they warn the measure would prevent doctors from making the best medical decisions in sensitive situations.

Meanwhile, influential anti-abortion groups vowed Tuesday to hold Democratic lawmakers' votes against them.


