Bills protecting puppies, animal rights, and illegal criminals have support from Senate Democrats.
But when it comes to protecting born-alive abortion survivors, those same Senate Democrats are nowhere to be found.
Senate Democrats blocked two Republican bills on Tuesday.
The bills would have prohibited late term abortions as well as guaranteed medical care for newborn babies who survive an abortion or attempted abortion.
Forty-one Democrats voted against the bill that would have guaranteed care for infants born alive during an abortion.
Senator John Thune expressed his dismay on Twitter.
Sixty votes are required to end Democrat delaying tactics and force a Senate vote.
The bills only received 56 and 53 votes, short of the 60 votes needed.
The Hill has more details on both abortion bills:
Senate Democrats blocked two abortion-related bills on Tuesday as Republicans look to weaponize the issue ahead of the 2020 elections.
Democrats blocked two measures — one from Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and the other from Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) — from getting the 60 votes needed to overcome an initial procedural hurdle.
The legislation from Graham would ban abortions after 20 weeks with exceptions for the life of the mother and victims of rape or incest. Doctors who violate the bill could face up to five years in prison.
The second bill, from Sasse, would penalize doctors who fail to "exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion."
Graham's bill failed in a 53-44 vote, with Democratic Sens. Bob Casey (Pa.) and Joe Manchin (W.Va.) voting for it and GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) voting against it.
Sasse's bill failed 56-41, with Casey, Manchin and Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) voting for it.
Neither bill was expected to pass despite Republican control of the Senate. But the decision to force the vote allows Republicans to try to put Jones on the record ahead of his tough reelection battle in November, and highlight tensions among Democrats, who are divided on if the party should include anti-abortion members.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) blasted Democrats for opposing the bills, arguing it demonstrates the party moving to the left.
As news of the vote broke, voters became upset that leaders voted against defending babies that are alive, born outside of the womb after surviving an abortion.
Many took to Twitter to express their anger:
Many scientists say an unborn child can feel pain at 20 weeks of age.
The Democrats voted down the bill against late term abortions.
The United States is only 1 of 7 countries allowing abortions after 20 weeks.
ABC reported that both Lindsey Graham and Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, are extremely disappointed:
A separate bill sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., would essentially ban abortion after 20 weeks, the point at which many scientists say an unborn child can feel pain.
Graham said he believe a majority of Americans oppose allowing abortion in the fifth month of pregnancy. The United States is currently one of seven countries in the world that permit elective abortion after 20 weeks.
"The United States should not be in that club,'' Graham said.
The two votes marked the latest instance in which Republicans have tried to go on offense on the issue of abortion and put Democratic lawmakers who support abortion rights in an uncomfortable position.
"It’s hard to believe that, in 21st century America, the life of a baby more than halfway through pregnancy is considered up for debate, but it’s true,'' said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, a group that works to elect anti-abortion candidates.
Opponents, noting the rarity of such births and citing laws making it a crime to kill newborn babies, said the GOP bills were unnecessary. They called the proposals part of a push by abortion opponents to curb access to the procedure and intimidate doctors who perform it, and said late-term abortions generally occur when the infant is considered incapable of surviving after birth.
Other countries that don't restrict when abortions can be performed during pregnancy include China, North Korea, and VIetnam.
And now... Democrats appear to support abortion even after the baby has been born.
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