While Sen. Orrin Hatch expressed his ‘shock’ Monday that most of his Democratic colleagues could vote against the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, it wasn’t just Democrats who opposed the measure.
Two Republican senators joined Democrats in voting against the 20-week abortion ban: Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine.
Meanwhile, Sens. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania—all Democrats—voted in favor of the ban on abortions at the point which unborn babies can feel pain, with certain exceptions such as rape, incest and to save the mother’s life.
With a vote of 51-46 in favor of the ban, it failed to reach the 60 votes required to advance to a final vote.
Murkowski said in a statement that she opposes late-term abortions but said the bill didn’t contain “sufficient protections for women and imposes unreasonable and unrealistic requirements in certain instances.”
— Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) January 30, 2018
President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence expressed their disappointment with the filibuster.
"It is disappointing that despite support from a bipartisan majority of U.S. senators, this bill was blocked from further consideration," Trump said in a statement.
"I am disappointed that tonight, 46 Senators voted against a motion that would have respected the majority of Americans' convictions- including those of @POTUS Trump- by refusing to advance a bill that would restrict abortions on babies when they are capable of feeling pain," Pence tweeted.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, the bill’s chief sponsor, promised the Senate would not give up on the effort.
“To those who believe in this issue, we will be back for another day,” he said.
“You’re on the right side of history. You’re where America will be. It’s just a matter of time before we get there,” he said of his colleagues who supported the measure.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member