Senate blocks bill that would protect access to abortion

That created renewed interest among Democrats to pass a federal abortion bill, but there isn’t a clear path forward because Senate rules require the support of 60 members for bills to proceed to a floor vote.

Wednesday’s procedural vote failed, with 51 against and 49 in favor. Georgia’s senators, Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, both voted in favor of the legislation.

Warnock said afterward that he will keep working to protect abortion rights.

“Deeply disappointed that our Republican colleagues blocked us from taking action, but we will not be deterred,” he wrote on Twitter. “We’ll keep fighting.”

The U.S. House has already passed a federal abortion bill with every Republican voting “no.” Several Democratic women, including U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams of Atlanta, marched to the Senate side of the Capitol ahead of Wednesday’s vote.