By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Monday, in a stunning defeat for Pro-Life Americans, the U.S. Senate failed to vote on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This law would have prohibited abortions after 20 weeks.
Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan was critical of U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, D-Alabama, who voted against the pro-life bill.
“After today’s vote, we now see Senator Doug Jones’ true colors,” Chairman Lathan said. “We will not forget his vote to block this bill banning late-term abortions. It is disgraceful that Senator Jones, who claims to want to ‘give voice to the challenges that face so many of our most vulnerable Americans’ would refuse to be a voice for the most vulnerable of them all: innocent lives in the womb. As one of the strongest pro-life states in the nation, Alabamians will hold Senator Jones accountable for this vote and every move he makes in the future regarding legislation that supports life at all stages.”
“With the science to prove unborn babies can feel pain at 20 weeks, it is an absolute tragedy that the United States is one out of seven nations to allow late-term abortions,” Lathan continued. “This being said, there is no reason for the United States Senate not to have enough votes to pass this bill. It is heartbreaking that any U.S. Senator would stay silent and deny protection for the most innocent of lives.”
“Very, very disappointed in the Senate for failing to pass this strong, pro-life bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks. Among the Democrats opposing the bill was Alabama’s new senator, Doug Jones. It is shameful the Senate failed to stand up for the unborn and protect life,” Congressman Bradley Byrne, R-Montrose, said.
U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, supported the bill.
“We applaud Senator Shelby for his support for this bill, along with our Alabama Republican U.S. Representatives in their votes to pass it initially in an earlier vote,” Lathan said. “Their constant support for policies that support life will always be appreciated and remembered- especially for those who cannot speak for themselves.”
The Senate voted today on whether to stop the Democrats’ filibuster of the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The legislation would ban abortions after 20 weeks. Neither Congress or state legislatures can vote to ban all abortions under Roe v. Wade unless they amend the U.S. Constitution.
Life Site News said that the bill highlights how unborn babies feel intense pain when they are killed in abortions. In the final vote, 51 senators—48 Republicans and three Democrats—voted to take the bill up for debate, but 60 votes were required under the rules of the U.S. Senate.
Jones voted with 46 other senators in blocking the measure.
The White House indicated that President Donald I. Trump (R) would sign the bill into law if it could get out of the Senate. The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed the legislation.
“Americans should be outraged that pro-abortion Senate Democrats refuse to protect unborn babies who can feel pain. An overwhelming majority of Americans support this bill, including 56% of Democrats and 56% of those who identify as ‘pro-choice’,” said Carol Tobias, the President of National Right to Life.
Tobias told LifeNews, “We applaud Senate Majority Leader McConnell and chief sponsor Sen. Lindsey Graham for their steadfast commitment to passing these protections for pain-capable unborn children. We will keep coming back to the Senate, again and again, until it passes this bill.”
The bill is based on model legislation developed by National Right to Life in 2010, and is in effect in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act was sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., along with 46 cosponsors.
Jones narrowly defeated the Pro-Life Republican Judge Roy Moore in December’s special election.
