In the wake of the recent United States Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, House Democrats will be voting next week on two separate bills to try and federalize abortion.
The vote will come just days after President Joe Biden signed an executive order tapping multiple federal agencies to adopt plans to protect and expand access to abortion pills and contraceptives in states that will not enact legislation curbing their use.
One bill will codify abortion rights into federal law and expand the protections in Roe v. Wade. The other will protect women who want to travel to blue states to undergo abortion procedures.
“Our pro-choice Democratic House Majority continues to prepare additional legislative action to respond to the Supreme Court’s appalling decision to rip away women’s reproductive rights,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. “Next week, we will again pass the Women’s Health Protection Act: landmark legislation enshrining the protections of Roe v. Wade into federal law.”
While Republicans seek to criminalize reproductive health care nationwide, @HouseDemocrats will never relent in our fight to defend freedom for women and for every American. Read my full statement here: https://t.co/HaVrK9DPf2
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) July 8, 2022
She also called attempts by Republicans to limit interstate travel for the purpose of obtaining an abortion “disturbing” in her statement.
“We have a sacred, fundamental duty to expand freedom in America, not to roll back fundamental rights,” she said. “While Republicans seek to criminalize reproductive health care nationwide, House Democrats will never relent in our fight to defend freedom for women and for every American.”
Both bills are expected to breeze through the House, where Democrats hold a strong majority. However, in the Senate, the legislation does not have enough to overcome the filibuster threshold of 60 votes.
Some Senators have indicated they would be on board with scrapping the filibuster rule to pass both pieces of legislation with a simple majority of 51 votes.
“Let me be clear: If it comes down to protecting the filibuster or protecting a woman’s right to choose, there should be no question that I will vote to protect a woman’s right to choose,” said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).
But, Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona oppose ending the filibuster, leaving both bills dead-on-arrival in the Senate.
