U.S. House passes abortion rights bill, outlook poor in Senate (Reuters - on their own site)
U.S. House passes abortion rights bill, outlook poor in Senate
WASHINGTON, Sept 24 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation on Friday to protect abortion services against growing Republican-backed state restrictions, including a Texas law that imposes a near-total ban on abortion, but the bill is unlikely to pass the Senate.
The Democratic-controlled House voted 218-211 largely along party lines to pass the legislation called the Women's Health Protection Act. Just one Democrat, Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas, voted against the proposal.
The bill would protect abortion services and pre-empt many restrictions Republicans have passed at the state level, such as those requiring ultrasounds or other tests.
The Senate will vote on the legislation "in the very near future," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.
It is not expected to pass the evenly divided Senate, where Democrats would need at least 10 Republicans to support it. Republican Senator Susan Collins, a moderate who supports abortion rights, has said she opposes it. She said the House bill would weaken exceptions provided to healthcare providers who refused to perform abortions on moral or religious grounds.
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Emphasis added. Always with the religion with these people.
