Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s latest effort to codify abortion rights into federal law failed miserably today, with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin joining all 50 Republicans to vote against kicking off debate on the legislation, the NY Post reports.

The test vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act had been expected to fall short of the  required 60 “yeas” to move the bill forward, but the West Virginian’s “no” vote ensured a bipartisan majority would filibuster the legislation.

Explaining his stance to reporters earlier in the afternoon, Manchin said that he supported a law legalizing abortion nationwide, but added that he agreed with Republicans that the Women’s Health Protection Act went too far.

“They’re trying to make people believe that this [bill] is the same thing as codifying Roe v. Wade,” Manchin told Politico. “And I want you to know, it’s not. This is not the same. It expands abortion.”

{Matzav.com}