An anti-abortion activist holds a model of a fetus during a protest outside of the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on May 7, 2015. US Senate Democrats blocked a controversial measure on Monday, Jan. 29, 2018, that would ban and criminalize abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, scuttling a longtime priority of conservatives in Congress. AFP FILE
WASHINGTON, United States 鈥� US Senate Democrats blocked a controversial measure Monday that would ban and criminalize abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, scuttling a longtime priority of conservatives in Congress.
President Donald Trump described the failure of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act as 鈥渄isappointing,鈥� and urged senators to reconsider.
The measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance the bill in the 100-member Senate, although it earned a narrow majority in the chamber, 51 to 46.
Congressional Republicans have for years sought to pass legislation that restricts abortion in the United States, despite the Supreme Court鈥檚 landmark 1973 ruling upholding a woman鈥檚 right to end a pregnancy.
The bill, which would ban abortions after 20 weeks but provide exceptions for rape, incest and critical health risks to the mother, passed the Republican-controlled House of Representatives in October.
But it faced a higher bar in the Senate, where opponents鈥� blocking tactics can force a 60-vote threshold.
鈥淲e may not have the votes this time, but we are advancing the issue, and we鈥檙e going to continue to fight for the unborn, particularly those who are capable of feeling pain after 20 weeks,鈥� Senator Lindsey Graham, the bill鈥檚 chief sponsor, said in a statement.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e on the right side of history,鈥� Graham argued to supporters on the Senate floor. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e where America will be, it鈥檚 just a matter of time when we get there.鈥�
The effort received support from Democrats Bob Casey, Joe Donnelly and Joe Manchin 鈥� three senators up for re-election this year in states won by President Donald Trump in 2016.
Senate should 鈥榬econsider鈥�
Two Republican senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, voted against the bill.
鈥淚t is disappointing that despite support from a bipartisan majority of US senators, this bill was blocked from further consideration,鈥� Trump said in a statement.
鈥淲e must defend those who cannot defend themselves.聽I urge the Senate to reconsider its decision and pass legislation that will celebrate, cherish and protect life.鈥�
Conservative groups have pointed to advancements in science that have allowed a small but increasing number of premature babies to survive outside the womb after five months of gestation.
Senator Joni Ernst pointed to the case of five-year-old Micah Pickering, who was born at 22 weeks.
鈥淏y any measure, at five months of development, an unborn child is a child,鈥� Ernst said on the Senate floor.
鈥淭hey will scrunch their eyes, they鈥檒l clench their hands, they pull back their limbs in response to pain, just like any other child,鈥� she said.
Trump, Graham and others noted that the United States is among just seven nations, including China and North Korea, that permit abortions after 20 weeks.
Several Democrats pushed back against the legislation, framing it as a war against access to safe and affordable health care for women.
Senator Dianne Feinstein warned that the bill would weaken protections for women in the case of rape or incest.
鈥淪enate Republicans are bringing up a bill today to undermine a woman鈥檚 constitutional right to make decisions about her own body,鈥� she said on Twitter. /cbb