Republicans blocked a bill to codify and expand abortion rights Wednesday, leaving Democrats well short of the 60 votes needed to circumvent the filibuster.
Even without the Senate rule, though, Democrats lacked the votes to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act on a simple majority: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) came out against it earlier Wednesday afternoon.
Every Democrat besides Manchin, including Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) with his historically anti-abortion leanings, voted to advance the legislation.
Scheduling Notes:
- The vote on the bill is part of a series starting at 2:30 p.m.
- Senators have been delivering floor speeches since yesterday. Watch one of the ... more interesting ones here.
Republicans blocked a bill to codify and expand abortion rights Wednesday, leaving Democrats well short of the 60 votes needed to circumvent the filibuster.
Even without the Senate rule, though, Democrats lacked the votes to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act on a simple majority: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) came out against it earlier Wednesday afternoon.
Every Democrat besides Manchin, including Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) with his historically anti-abortion leanings, voted to advance the legislation.
No hope of passage so next steps must certainly be on the horizon for this important issue…?
If every single Dem Senator does not vote for this won’t it arm the GOP with the argument “See, even all Democrats don’t agree abortion should be legal.”?
Minority Rule. It didn’t have to be this way.
Voting was underrated at the worst time we could have ever indulged that idiotic notion.
It means a heavier lift, which is doable but, in this case, we are our own worst enemy.
Manchin is just daring the Democrats to disown him. His attitude is “If you guys don’t need me, I’ll just go over and hang out with these other people on the right. I seem to get along better with them anyway.” It’s all about getting attention and maximizing influence.
Or something equally fatuous and absurd . . .