As the Supreme Court holds the future of abortion rights and women’s health in their collective hands, Republican Maine Senator Susan Collins has voiced support for Congress to take up a bill to legalize abortion across the country, NBC News reports.
“Senator Collins supports the right to an abortion and believes that the protections in the Roe and Casey decisions should be passed into law. She has had some conversations with her colleagues about this and is open to further discussions,” Collins spokeswoman Annie Clark told NBC News in an email.
Contradictorily, Collins does not support the Women’s Health Protection Act, a bill that would codify abortion rights into law as set forth in Roe and Casey decisions. The WHPA has passed the House, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has promised the bill will get a vote in the Senate.
“Unfortunately, the House Democrats’ bill goes far beyond codifying Roe and Casey. For example, their legislation would severely weaken protections afforded to health care providers who refuse to perform abortions on religious or moral grounds,” Clark said.