Senate effort to secure Roe v. Wade fails; Here’s how Wyden, Merkley voted

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has fallen far short in a vote toward enshrining Roe v. Wade abortion access into federal law. Wednesday’s 51-49 negative vote almost along party lines provided a stark display of the nation’s partisan divide over the landmark court decision and the limits of legislative action.

Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both of Oregon, voted in favor of securing Roe v. Wade.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., was the only Democrat to vote nay with the Republicans.

The afternoon roll call promised to be the first of several efforts in Congress to preserve the nearly 50-year-old court ruling.

President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass legislation that would guarantee the constitutional right to abortion services after the disclosure of a draft Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. But Democrats in the split Senate lacked the votes to overcome a Republican-led filibuster.