abortion rights

Collins, Facing Criticism, Pitches Her Own Approach to Abortion Protection

In its statement, Sen. Susan Collins' office said the senator plans to work with other lawmakers to "maintain, not expand or restrict the current legal framework for abortion rights"

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Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins is one of the 51 votes against moving forward with the Women’s Health Protection Act.

The U.S. Senate held a vote to proceed on that proposal to put abortion protections, including those in Roe v. Wade, into law on Wednesday afternoon.

Before casting her vote, Collins had called the effort a "partisan bill designed to fail" in a written statement from her office.

The statement said that the Maine senator, who herself supports abortion rights, wants to move forward with a bill she co-authored with Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who is also a Republican who supports abortion rights.

Collins and Murkowski’s proposal is called the Reproductive Choice Act.

A description of the legislation in a draft of it says its purpose is "to codify the essential holdings of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey."

In its statement, Collins' office said the senator plans to work with other lawmakers to "maintain, not expand or restrict the current legal framework for abortion rights."

The senator had previously said the Women’s Health Protection Act was too far-reaching of a proposal to earn her support.

Collins' vote comes amid increasingly vocal criticism of her from abortion rights supporters in Maine.

Multiple messages to her have been written in chalk on the sidewalk in front of her Bangor, Maine home, and one of them prompted a call to police.

Collins' office said she periodically gets threatening letters and phone calls and has been advised by Capitol Police to notify local police when activity is directed at her or around her home.

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