Experts say there was a sense that passing abortion rights into law wasn’t necessary, and Democrats didn’t have the votes – even in their own party.
- The Senate is expected to vote Wednesday on a bill that would codify Roe into law.
- Lawmakers and advocates had the sense Roe was decided and upheld by the Supreme Court.
- “I think people felt as though it was pretty much settled,” said political science professor Scott Ainsworth.
The moment seemed ideal for abortion-rights advocates – with a newly elected Democratic president and Democratic control of the Senate and House, liberals set their sights on passing a law to protect women’s right to terminate pregnancies.
The Supreme Court had ruled it a constitutional right in Roe v. Wade in 1973, but women’s rights organizations and lawmakers wanted to make it clear in U.S. law that states would be prohibited from placing restrictions on that right.
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