As Schumer Tees Up Vote to Codify Roe, Progressives Urge Elimination of Filibuster

As Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer makes preparations for a vote this week on legislation that would codify the abortion rights that the U.S. Supreme Court’s right-wing majority appears poised to overturn, progressives on Monday reiterated that the filibuster must be eliminated for the bill to pass. 

The Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) would enshrine patients’ right to receive legal and safe abortions. In addition to that, it will also provide healthcare professionals the right to provide them. Schumer (D-N.Y.) plans to file cloture on Monday for a Wednesday vote in the Senate on a modified version of the WHPA.

“Choice should not be up to a handful of right-wing justices,” said Schumer. “Choice should not be up to a handful of right-wing politicians. It’s a woman’s right. Plain and simple.”

House Democrats—with the lone exception of right-wing Rep. Henry Cuellar (Texas)—supported the passage of the WHPA last September. However, the bill died in the upper chamber in February when right-wing Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) joined all 50 Senate Republicans to block the measure before it even reached the floor.

Because the filibuster requires 60 votes to advance most legislation, the latest iteration of the WHPA is destined for the same fate unless the entire Senate Democratic Caucus—including Manchin and fellow conservative Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona)—and Vice President Kamala Harris vote to suspend the anti-democratic rule that gives veto power to the minority party in a closely divided upper chamber.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) states that “if Republicans can end the filibuster to install right-wing judges nominated by presidents who lost the popular vote in order to overturn Roe v. Wade, Democrats can and must end the filibuster to keep abortion legal and safe.”

More than three-fifths of people in the U.S. think abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to a recent survey conducted before Alito’s draft ruling was leaked. Recent Data for Progress poll shows that a large majority of likely voters are in favor of the WHPA.

“Yes, I’m angry,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote in an op-ed published on Monday. “I’m angry at the justices who deliberately deceived the American people. I’m angry at the Republicans in Congress who stole two Supreme Court seats to get us to this day. And I’m angry at the cruelty of the anti-abortion politicians who will impose enormous pain, suffering, and possible death on people who have the fewest resources to fight back.”

“Republicans in Congress are planning to restrict abortion access and reproductive health care everywhere, endangering all Americans, whether they live in red, blue, or purple states,” Warren continued. “And it is equally clear that the Supreme Court is opening the door to banning birth control, outlawing marriage equality, and even making interracial marriage illegal.”

“The Supreme Court does not get the last word,” wrote Warren. “The American people—through their leaders in Congress—can and must take action.”

“Congress has the power to make Roe the law of the entire nation,” she added. “The House has already passed legislation to shield abortion rights, and the Senate will take up the bill this week. We should debate that bill on the floor and then vote on it—because every American should know exactly where we stand and hold us accountable. But to get that vote and protect Roe, we must end the filibuster.”

Originally published at Commondreams.org, written by Kenny Stancil.