Republican Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) will not support an effort by Democrats to codify abortion rights as the Supreme Court appears poised to strike down Roe v. Wade.
Collins argued that the Women’s Health Protection Act is too broad and raised concerns about the bill not including a conscience clause, which would allow providers to refuse to perform abortions for religious or moral reasons, according to CNN.
“It supersedes all other federal and state laws, including the conscience protections that are in the Affordable Care Act,” said Collins. She added, “It doesn’t protect the right of a Catholic hospital to not perform abortions. That right has been enshrined in law for a long time.”
But, Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal, one of the authors of the bill pushed back on Collins’ criticisms saying: “There is nothing in this measure that detracts in any way from existing protections based on conscience or religion,” he said. “It doesn’t mandate that a hospital or a doctor or any other provider do anything that is against religious principles or conscience.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y) announced earlier his week that he would bring the bill to a vote next week after the Supreme Court majority draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade was leaked to Politico.
The draft was written by Justice Samuel Alito who was supported by other conservative justices Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.
On Tuesday Collins slammed Kavanaugh and Gorsuch saying that the opinion is ‘completely inconsistent’ with what they said during meetings and their confirmation hearings. She believes they misled her.
“If this leaked draft opinion is the final decision and this reporting is accurate, it would be completely inconsistent with what Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh said in their hearings and in our meetings in my office,” Collins said in a statement. “Obviously, we won’t know each Justice’s decision and reasoning until the Supreme Court officially announces its opinion in this case.”
The reality for Democrats is that they simply do not have the votes to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, with or without Collins’ support.
The legislation would need at least 60 votes to overcome a GOP filibuster, which would require 10 Republicans to vote with Democrats, if all Democrats stick together. That is not expected to happen as Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., joined Republicans in opposition of the bill when it was brought up in February.
