Nov 14, 2022 - Health

Biden: Democrats will not have enough votes to codify Roe v. Wade

Oriana González

Picture of Joe Biden — Photo: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

President Biden said Monday that he does not expect congressional Democrats will have enough votes to pass a bill codifying Roe v. Wade.

Why it matters: If Republicans capture a narrow majority in the House, Biden's pledge to make an abortion rights bill the first piece of post-midterm legislation to send to Congress will go nowhere.

Catch up fast: Shortly after the Supreme Court Dobbs decision, Biden said that he would support changing the Senate's filibuster rules for Congress to pass a federal abortion protection law.

But lacking clear control of the House, even getting rid of the 60-vote threshold would not be enough.

What he's saying: "I don’t think there’s enough votes to codify unless something happens unusual in the House,” Biden said in a press conference in Bali, Indonesia.

“I think we’re going to get very close in the House,” he added. “But I don’t think we’re going to make it.”

Between the lines: Exit polls showed voters naming abortion as one of the top issues motivating them to vote, Reuters reported.

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Biden: Democrats will not have enough votes to codify Roe v. Wade

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