Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) joined Senate Republicans on Monday to block a bill pushed by Democrats to codify abortion rights into federal law.
According to NBC News, senators voted 46-48 to move the Women’s Health Protection Act, toward a debate on the Senate floor, falling short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster and would have fallen short of the 50 votes needed for passage after Manchin joined Republicans in opposition.
Six senators did not vote.
Asked about Manchin’s “no” vote, Sam Runyon, a spokesperson for the senator told The Hill, “Senator Manchin’s position has not changed.”
The Women’s Health Protection Act had 48 Democratic co-sponsors. Manchin and Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa) were the only two senate Democrats to not sponsor the bill. But Casey voted to begin debate on the legislation.
The House passed the bill last September that enshrines the right to an abortion which has been attacked by several GOP-led states. The bill’s failure in the Senate comes at the 6-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court appears ready to gut the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.
“Sadly it looks like the Supreme Court will limit abortion rights in the coming months. That’s why the bill is essential,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
Schumer’s words fell on deaf ears as even moderate Republican senators Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) voted against advancing the legislation.
Both Murkowski and Collins later introduced their own proposal to codify Roe because “this partisan Women’s Health Protection Act simply goes too far,” Murkowski said.
