.jpg)
Last week, the House of Representatives passed the Women’s Health Protection Act, which is aimed at saving women’s abortion rights nationwide. And while it is being called a “symbolic response” to the Supreme Court’s refusal to block the Texas abortion law that went into effect on September 1, the bill nonetheless moves on to the Senate for approval.
On Friday, the House passed the Women’s Health Protection Act, with a final vote of 218 to 211, as announced by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, according to ABC News.
Passing the House with a partisan vote of Democrats being in favor and Republicans against the bill, it now moves on to the Senate, where, according to NBC News, it is likely to face “steep opposition” from Senate Republicans. As such, it is being seen as a “symbolic response,” per the news outlet, given that the likelihood of it even coming to a vote in the Senate is extremely slim.
The goal of Democrats is to preserve the abortion rights that were guaranteed to women as a result of Roe v. Wade in 1973. And given that it is a constitutional right, per the Democrats, their bill should trump the Texas “Heartbeat Ban” law signed into law earlier this year in May.
According to CNBC, the House bill would allow those who are seeking an abortion to do so without jumping through hoops they currently do in many states. As such, women would no longer have to have ultrasounds, go through counseling, or face a waiting period as they do now, per the news outlet.
The bill would also ban any states from putting any restrictions on when an abortion could take place before the fetus is viable outside of the womb. And in cases where the pregnancy would put a woman at risk were it to continue, abortions would be allowed after this timeframe as well, per CNBC.
If the bill were to pass the Senate, it would end the law Texas enacted that only allows women to receive an abortion up until they are six weeks pregnant. The strict restrictions were placed on abortions in the state because lawmakers claim that at six weeks gestation, there is a fetal heartbeat.
Unfortunately, most women do not even realize that they are expecting at this stage of their pregnancy, basically making abortions illegal in the state of Texas. And given that getting an appointment within the timeframe where it is legal is nearly impossible, according to The New York Times, clinics outside of the state are being inundated with women from Texas seeking abortions.
What the final outcome of abortions in Texas and other states seeking similar laws will be, remains to be seen. But for now, those looking to keep abortions legal per Roe v. Wade are putting up a fight and are doing what they can to preserve abortion rights for women.
Source: CNBC, ABC News, NBC News, The New York Times
About The Author
