Senate rejects radical abortion bill

The U.S. Senate voted mostly along party lines on Monday against the Women’s Health Protection Act, a bill that attempts to enshrine abortion in federal law. All Republicans voted against the bill, with Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia as the lone Democrat to oppose it in the 46-48 vote. The House had passed the measure in September.

What made the bill significant? Several pro-life groups called it the most extreme abortion legislation to make its way to the Senate. The proposal sought to prevent state governments from placing limitations on telemedicine and abortions, potentially nullifying several pro-life laws in the process. The national pro-life group SBA List said some of the laws at risk included late-term abortion limits, informed consent laws, waiting periods, and anti-discriminatory legislation, among others. The vote comes as the Supreme Court prepares to issue a ruling this year in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case about a 2018 Mississippi law that limits abortion after 15 weeks of gestation.

Dig deeper: Read Leah Savas’ Vitals report on California’s pro-life minority.