Senate Democrats Block Abortion Bills

Senate Democrats voted to block initial debate a pair of abortion-related bills offered by the majority Republicans on Tuesday by denying them the 60 votes necessary for consideration to continue.

Both votes were on cloture motions on motions to proceed to the underlying bills, which require 60 votes in favor to limit further debate. Here’s a high-level breakdown of the votes:

• The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protect Act failed on a 56-41 vote, in which all Republicans voted in favor and were joined by Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA), Doug Jones (D-AL), and Joe Manchin (D-WV).
• The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act failed on a 53-44 vote, in which nearly all Republicans, except for Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) & Lisa Murkowski, voted in favor; and Sens. Casey & Manchin were the only Democrats to vote “yea”.

The three absent senators were absent because they’re in South Carolina ahead of tonight’s Democratic presidential debate: Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

What would the bills do?

The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (S. 311), sponsored by Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE), would require healthcare providers to age and health appropriate care for infants born alive after an attempted abortion, and admit the infant to a hospital. Providers who fail to comply could face fines, up to five years in prison, or be tried for murder if their actions lead to the infant’s death. The mother of the born alive infant would be immune from prosecution, and could sue the provider for damages.

The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (S. 3275), sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy unless the mother’s life is in jeopardy or the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest. The U.S. is one of seven nations that allow elective abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, the others are Canada, China, North Korea, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Have these bills come up before?

In February 2019, a similar procedural vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act was blocked on a 53-44 vote in which Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA), Doug Jones (D-AL), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) were the only Democrats to join Republicans by voting in favor.

Back in January 2018, the Senate voted on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act’s predecessor. It failed on a 51-46 procedural vote in which Republican Sens. Susan Collins (ME) & Lisa Murkowski (AK) voted no, while Casey, Manchin, and then-Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) were the only Democrats to vote yes.

— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: iStock.com / meenon)