Expected outcome follows hours of debate in Congress
Bill falls six votes short of needed 60 in decision largely along party lines
Senate Democrats blocked an attempt by Republicans to ban most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy,an outcome that was all but certain as the prospect of a government shutdown looms. The vote was the culmination of hours of debate on the issue over two days, with Democrats accusing Republicans of using the bill to pander to their conservative base during an election cycle while Republicans urged Democrats to accept that fetuses can feel pain at this stage in a pregnancy, and a contention disputed by medical research. The bill fell six votes short of the 60 it needed to pass,with senators voting largely along party lines. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com