House approves pro-abortion bill

Only one Democrat joined 210 Republicans to vote against codifying Roe v. Wade in federal law. The House passed the Women’s Health Protection Act on Friday almost entirely along partisan lines. The bill would remove ultrasound and waiting period requirements and override any state law restricting abortion. The legislation is mostly a symbolic gesture—Republicans will likely filibuster it in the evenly split Senate.

Why create a bill that won’t pass? House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and other Democratic lawmakers said the legislation should encourage American women. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., introduced the act in June, and Pelosi rushed it to a vote after Texas enacted a law protecting babies from abortion after they have a detectable heartbeat. The Supreme Court let the Texas law take effect over the objections of abortion supporters. The justices are scheduled to hear arguments in a Mississippi case in December that could result in overturning Roe v. Wade.

Dig deeper: Read Leah Savas’ report on radical abortion advocacy groups and the stories of post-abortive women.