House OKs Measure To Ban Abortions After 20 Weeks
The bill, which was a revised version of earlier legislation that GOP leaders pulled after objections from their own caucus, passed 242 to 184. It is expected to face a tough path in the Senate and has already triggered a veto threat from the White House.
The New York Times:
House Approves Revised Measure Banning Most Abortions After 20 Weeks
The House on Wednesday voted to ban most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, approving a revised version of a bill that Republican leaders had abruptly pulled in January amid objections from some of their own members. The measure passed in a 242-to-184 vote, with one member voting present. The bill dropped a provision in the original version that would have required women who became pregnant through rape to report their assault to law enforcement authorities to be eligible for an abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy. (Huetteman, 5/13)
The Wall Street Journal:
House Passes Bill Banning Abortions After 20 Weeks
The House on Wednesday passed modified legislation banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, months after concerns from centrist and female Republicans derailed a vote on the bill. The legislation stands little chance of becoming law, as President Barack Obama is unlikely to sign it even if it clears Congress. Still, the bill highlights the challenges Republicans face tackling an issue important to conservatives without alienating some women voters ahead of the 2016 elections. (Peterson and Radnofsky, 5/13)
The Washington Post:
House Approves 20-Week Abortion Ban
The bill seeks to ban any abortions beyond the midpoint of pregnancy — before a fetus is typically deemed viable, but after antiabortion activists say the fetus can feel pain. It faces an uphill course in the Senate, and President Obama has said he would veto it. But House passage of the measure had been a priority for antiabortion groups hoping to push the needle on public opinion and inject the issue into the 2016 presidential race. (Somashekhar, 5/13)
The Associated Press:
GOP Wins House OK For Bill Banning Most Late-Term Abortions
Republicans have won House approval for a late-term abortion ban after dropping rape provisions that were opposed by GOP women, forcing party leaders to rewrite the measure. The near party-line 242-184 vote marked a victory for conservatives and anti-abortion organizations. But the path to passage also showed how hard it will be for the GOP to satisfy such groups while retaining support from women in the 2016 elections. (Fram, 5/13)
Politico:
After Earlier Stumble, House Passes 20-Week Abortion Ban
The House approved a bill Wednesday that would enact a nationwide abortion ban after 20 weeks of pregnancy, months after a group of female Republican lawmakers pressured House leaders into pulling an earlier version of the legislation. The bill passed 242-184, mostly along party lines. The White House has threatened to veto the bill, but House Republicans are hoping the outcome in their chamber will put pressure on the Senate to take it up. Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) quickly pledged to reintroduce a companion bill. (Mershon and Villacorta, 5/13)
Arizona Republic:
House Passes Rep. Trent Franks' 20-Week Abortion Ban
U.S. Rep. Trent Franks', R-Ariz., signature issue, a ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, passed the U.S. House on Wednesday, though it's unlikely to become law. Anti-abortion advocates, however, celebrated the passage of Franks' bill as a sign of progress on efforts to limit abortions nationwide. U.S. House Speaker John Boehner called it the most "pro-life" legislation ever to come before the House. (Sanders, 5/13)
