Senate Democrats block bills against late-term abortion, infanticide
The United States Senate failed to get the necessary 60 votes to advance two pro-life bills, one of which was aimed at banning abortions after 20 weeks into a pregnancy while another required medical care for babies that survive the procedure.
On a vote taken Tuesday, the Senate voted 56-41 on Senate Bill 311, known as the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.”
Introduced by Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, S. 311 mandated that a healthcare practitioner must provide medical attention to a baby that survives an attempted abortion.
Also on Tuesday, the Senate voted 53-44 on Senate Bill 3275, also called the “Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.”
Introduced by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, S. 3275 banned most abortions performed 20 weeks or later into a pregnancy.
Both measures failed to get the necessary three-fifths majority, with nearly all Democrats voting against both bills and nearly all Republicans voting in favor of both.
Notable exceptions included Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who voted in favor of both measures, and Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who voted against the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.
Also, Democratic Senator Doug Jones of Alabama voted in favor of the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.
Pro-life groups like the Susan B. Anthony List denounced the results, arguing that the votes will have influence on the election.
“We believe this will provide President Trump and the pro-life Senate majority the margin of victory come November,” stated SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser.
“Given the popularity of these bills and the heavy political losses Democrats will continue to suffer by opposing them, it is only a matter of time until they become law.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York denounced both bills as “fake, dishonest, and extreme legislation that has nothing to do with improving the lives of ordinary Americans.”
“I say fake because these bills pretend as if we don’t already have laws on the book that protect infants. Additional legislation is completely unnecessary and irrational,” stated Sen. Schumer on the Senate floor on Tuesday.
“These bills are not intended to fix real problems faced by real Americans; they are intended to provoke fear and misunderstanding about a very difficult issue so Republicans can score political points with their far-right base.”
Prominent evangelical leader Russell Moore, who heads the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, argued that the measures are "basic and common-sense bills that would protect human life.” He called the Senate vote a "national scandal."
