Senate Republicans and Democrat Joe Manchin teamed up to block the advancement of legislation that would federally codify abortion rights.

Senate Republicans And Joe Manchin Block Women’s Health Protection Act

Every Senate Republican and Democrat Joe Manchin (WV) voted against advancing legislation to protect a woman’s right to an abortion. Democrats could not get the 60 votes needed to advance the legislation.

Schumer Warns Republicans That The American People Are Watching And Will Not Forget

Before the vote, Senate Majority Leader Schumer said on the Senate floor:

The legislation before this chamber is straightforward: it would codify what Americans already believe, that the right to choose whether or not to have an abortion belongs to women, not elected politicians.

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It will preserve the safeguard that conservative Justices seem ready to strike down in just a few weeks. If they follow through with their decision, the United States—which has always aspired to the expansion of rights—will take a shameful and repressive step backward.

Our kids will grow up in a country with fewer rights than those who came before them.

This decision, if formalized, would be remembered as one of the worst and most damaging cases in the entire history of the Supreme Court.

So this is not a theoretical exercise, oh no; protecting the right to choose, at this critical moment, is one of the most consequential votes we could possibly take.

And the American people are watching; the public will not forget which side of the vote Senators fall on today.

They will not forget who voted to protect their freedoms.

And they will not forget those responsible for the greatest backslide of individual liberties in half a century.

Across the country, the hard right is hell-bent on sending women’s rights back to the Stone Age, and we in the Senate must respond.

Republicans And Manchin Show America Where They Stand

America, the supposed beacon of democracy and freedom around the world is watching the biggest setback in human rights in a half a century comes closer to reality because some senators are more worried about protecting the filibuster than protecting women.

The nation should be embarrassed and ashamed and committed to electing pro-choice in November so that the greatest crime against human rights in the United States in half a century can be undone.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association