Senate may vote to codify Roe in July

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Monday marks the two-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down the federal right to an abortion. Democrats are teeing up another vote that aims to restore Roe v. Wade, while Republicans are promoting their own policies in this presidential election year.

"Our crusade on reproductive rights will continue," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). "June has been a month of MAGA Republicans showing their true colors."

Schumer said the next vote, likely in July, would reestablish a national right to an abortion before the third trimester of pregnancy by codifying Roe. 

Abortion is currently banned at all stages of pregnancy in 14 states and after about six weeks of pregnancy in three others.

"Every woman in every state is at risk," said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). 

Stabenow argued another Trump administration would guarantee a nationwide abortion ban.

"Nobody's OK in this country," she said. 

Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) stressed one in three women of reproductive age now live in states with abortion restrictions.

"I bet the house that anti-choice Senate Republicans will vote to ban abortion nationwide if they're given the chance," Rosen said. "None of us here will be fooled by their cover-ups of their anti-choice records."

Republicans tried to pass a series of their own reproductive rights bills this week, but Democrats blocked them.

"The Republican Party is the party of families," said Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.). 

Britt's legislation would provide various prenatal and postpartum support for women.

"You can absolutely be pro-life, pro-woman and pro-family all at the same time," she said. 

Another measure, sponsored by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), would expand resources to address the root causes of infertility, which she called a complementary measure to IVF protections.

"What we are trying to do here is promote long-term healing for couples struggling with infertility," Hyde-Smith said. "We want to empower childbearing generations so that families can address fertility concerns in a cost-effective manner." 

Last week, Republicans largely opposed Democrats' bill that would protect access to IVF.

The Democrat-controlled Senate also tried to pass legislation earlier this month to protect access to birth control in another largely symbolic move that Republicans ultimately blocked.