Senate Dems Block GOP Late-Term Abortion Ban

FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2015 file photo, Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell of Ky. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Democrats seem certain to block Republican legislation banning most late-term abortio... FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2015 file photo, Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell of Ky. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Democrats seem certain to block Republican legislation banning most late-term abortions in a Senate showdown with plenty of political significance but little suspense. I'm asking colleagues to open their hearts and help defend the defenseless," McConnell said Monday. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) MORE LESS

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats have blocked a Senate Republican bid to ban most late-term abortions.

Two days before Pope Francis was to deliver an unprecedented papal speech to Congress, a GOP effort to begin debating the legislation failed. Tuesday’s vote was 54-42 to move ahead on the bill, but that was short of the 60votes needed.

It was the second time Senate Democrats have blocked GOP abortion-related legislation since this summer’s release of videos showing Planned Parenthood officials discussing their harvesting of fetal tissue for research. They also derailed a bill in August halting federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

The GOP-run House passed the late-term abortion bill in May. But the Republican majority in the Senate is too small to advance it.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  1. Fucking AP…

    It was the second time Senate Democrats have blocked GOP abortion-related legislation since this summer’s release of videos showing Planned Parenthood officials discussing their harvesting of fetal tissue for research.

    No where in this article are those videos mentioned as purposely misleading, edited or an exercise in entrapment by a bunch of losers attempting to make PP an issue for rightwing political motives. The article merely states this as fact with no qualifiers. Truly misleading bullshit.

  2. Thank you Senate Dems. Now can Repubs please go back to jobs jobs jobs being a lasered focus or was that only during election season…?

  3. Who saw that coming? Besides everyone except Senator McConnell?

  4. McConnell is not an ideologue on abortion. He’s an old-style big business Republican. I’m pretty darn sure he’s delighted this thing got shut down, so that he can go back to crafting big tax breaks for his campaign donors.

  5. I fully intend to thank my (very safe) Democratic senators. I truly hope a lot of people who also totally approve of the vote do likewise. A lot of women’s future lives are riding on the outcome of this ghastly political theater.

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