The Senate, largely along party lines, rejected Wednesday a motion to consider a bill that would keep abortion services legal in the U.S.
The motion, which was voted down 51-49, dealt with the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would have codified the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion access. The motion fell well short of the 60 votes needed to avoid a filibuster so that the legislation could have been considered by the chamber.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) was the lone Democrat to join the chamber’s 50 Republicans in voting against the motion. Vice President Kamala Harris, who holds the title of president of the Senate, was on hand to vote in case of a tie.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) introduced the motion on the chamber floor in the wake of a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that stated the court’s intent to overturn the Roe decision.
“The American people are watching,” Schumer said, The Associated Press reported. “The public will not forget which side of the vote senators fall on today.”