House Republicans pull abortion bill due to lack of votes

(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

published 22 January 2015

The House was scheduled to vote Thursday on a bill to ban almost all abortions after 20 weeks — but GOP leaders abruptly pulled the bill late Wednesday after enough Republican lawmakers, including many women, indicated that they would vote against it, leaving the legislation short of the votes needed for passage. The bill faced long odds in the Senate, and Obama promised to veto it, but Republicans wanted to pass it on Thursday to coincide with the annual March for Life and the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

The dissenting Republicans opposed a provision that exempted only rape and under-18 incest victims who first reported the crimes to authorities, The Associated Press reports. But when GOP leaders discussed taking out that provision, they met resistance from anti-abortion lawmakers and advocates. The House will instead debate a bill banning federal taxpayer funding of abortion — which, AP notes, is "a prohibition that is already largely in effect."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.