House passes pro-abortion bills

Democrats in the House voted Friday for the Women’s Health Protection Act and the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act. The first bill passed 219-210, with no Republicans voting for it. It would strip legal protections for unborn babies through the first 24 weeks of gestation, codifying the Supreme Court’s now-overturned Roe v. Wade decision in federal law. This is the second time the act will be in front of the Senate after it failed last year. The second bill passed 223-205 and blocks any attempts to punish people for traveling out of state for an abortion. 

Will the Senate approve them? The legislation is unlikely to make it through the Senate because it would require 60 votes or suspension of the filibuster rules. Democrats only have 50 out of 100 seats in the Senate, plus Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote. Two Republican senators, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, have said they would support taking away some safeguards for unborn babies. Rather than supporting the Democrats’ proposal, they have introduced different legislation that offers some protections for the unborn. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, however, said Democrats are unlikely to negotiate with them.

Dig deeper: Read Daniel Darling’s column in WORLD Opinions on whether most Americans support abortion.