The House on Friday passed two bills aimed at protecting access to abortion, marking the chamber\u2019s first legislative attempts at safeguarding the procedure after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last month.<\/p>\n
The first\u00a0bill\u00a0\u2014 the\u00a0Women\u2019s Health Protection Act<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 passed in a 219-210 vote, clearing the House for a second time in the past year. The lower chamber\u00a0previously approved<\/a>\u00a0the measure in September, but it was twice blocked in the Senate.<\/p>\n Texas Rep.\u00a0Henry Cuellar<\/strong>\u00a0was the only Democrat to vote against the bill, which all Republicans present opposed as well. He also opposed the measure when it was brought up for a vote in September.<\/p>\n The legislation seeks to ensure that people have access to abortion nationwide by codifying the right to the medical procedure into federal law.<\/p>\n
\nNot going far in the Senate:\u00a0<\/strong>The measure, however, will likely face headwinds in the Senate. Republicans and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) blocked the bill in the upper chamber in\u00a0February<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0May<\/a>\u00a0when it was brought up for consideration.<\/p>\n