Political | Process

Democrats have acknowledged their bill is certain to fail in the 50-50 Senate, where 60 votes are needed to advance legislation. As when the proposal was put forward back in February, no Republicans are expected to support the measure.

But Democratic Party leaders see the vote as a crucial political step with the prospect of the end of federal abortion protections now looming.

“We are making sure that every senator will have to vote and every American will see how they voted,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.). He said he believed Republicans “will suffer the consequences electorally when the American people see that.”

The court confirmed the draft’s authenticity but cautioned it wasn’t final. The court is expected to issue its opinion in late June or early July.

Each party has painted the other as holding extreme views that are out of step with the public’s. Democrats say Republicans are seeking to ban all abortions, even early in a pregnancy or in cases of rape or incest. GOP lawmakers, meanwhile, say Democrats would favor rules allowing abortions to be performed any time before birth, and many argue the matter should be left to the states.

“The Democrats are going to push for allowing to take the power away from the states and drawing a line here in Washington where late-term abortions will be the law of the land, and that to me is very concerning,” said Sen. Steve Daines (R., Mont.), the chairman of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus.

The Democrats’ bill ensures access to an abortion until a fetus is viable, usually around 23 to 24 weeks, and would override state laws currently in place that impose restrictions at earlier dates. The bill would allow abortions after viability when a healthcare provider determines the pregnancy would pose a risk to the patient’s life or health.

Republicans say that language gives such wide latitude that a provider could offer a late-term abortion to protect a woman’s mental health. Among their other concerns is that viability could be determined by the doctor or other provider, and the bill specifically overrides any conflicting state laws that impose restrictions.