Ever since it was known that the Supreme Court intended to overturn Roe v. Wade, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) made his intentions known to bring the Women’s Health Protection Act up for a procedural vote in the Senate.
The WHPA would codify the right for women to have an abortion into law and stops governmental restrictions on access to abortion services. It would also prevent states from requiring patients to make medically unnecessary in-person visits before receiving abortion services or forcing women to disclose their reasons for obtaining abortions and related services.
Last September, the legislation passed the House by a narrow margin and has stalled in the Senate since February. Democrats will first need 60 Senators to move the bill for a debate. Then, they need 50 senators to agree to change the Senate’s filibuster rule for the WHPA to have a chance to become law–a measure that is expected to fail. We know how this story goes.
As Newsweek reports, two potential senators have hinted at how they will go. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has said she would be a “no.” Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is reportedly undecided and will “wait and see” after the Democrats’ lunch today. Manchin did slide with Republicans to block the procedural vote back in February.
Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) came out today and stated he would vote to codify Roe v. Wade. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) already said she opposed the current iteration of the Women’s Health Protection Act in September 2021. Despite the uphill battle, Sen. Schumer still feels it’s important for the country to see where every Senator stands on this issue.
“Republicans will have two choices. They can own the destruction of women’s rights, or they can reverse course and work to prevent the damage. Count me as skeptical that they’ll do the latter. Republicans have been on the wrong side of history and the wrong side of America,” he said
“This week’s vote is not an abstract exercise; this is as real and as high stakes as it gets,” Schumer said. “Senate Republicans will no longer be able to hide from the horror they’ve unleashed upon women in America. We will see where every single senator stands.”
Democrats are doing this to show the country they are trying to do something. I get it. However, this will not change the hearts of Republicans who see taking reproduction rights away for women near completion.