Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked legislation that would ban all federal funding of abortions, preventing Republicans from moving the bill to a final vote.
GOP leaders who control the Senate called up the bill from Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss. But 60 votes are needed to end debate on all legislation, and Democrats refused to give Republicans the seven votes they needed to reach that threshold.
The bill failed to advance in a 48-47 vote.
The bill would prohibit the use of federal funds to be used for abortion, or for payments made to insurance companies that offer abortion as a covered service.
Wicker said it’s needed in part because advanced technology shows that each fetus is a “living human that deserves protection.”
The vote concluded just after the White House said President Trump backs the bill and would sign it into law if it reached his desk.
“This bill would continue to prohibit the Federal Government from paying for affected procedures with the taxes of Americans and thereby protect the conscience rights of taxpayers who find abortion morally or religiously objectionable,” the White House said.
But there’s little chance Trump will get a bill to sign, given Democrats’ ability to block it in the Senate and Democratic control over the House.
