Doug Jones votes against ‘pain-capable’ abortion ban

—

February 25, 2020

Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) on Tuesday voted against advancing the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.

The bill failed to get the 60-votes needed to end debate, with Jones one of 44 senators voting “nay.” Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) voted to support the legislation.

The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act would prohibit abortion after 20 weeks’ gestation based on scientific research suggesting that fetuses are capable of feeling pain by that point in pregnancy, per National Review. A report released recently suggested that fetal pain is in fact possible even earlier in pregnancy than 20 weeks.

Jones previously voted against this same legislation. Tuesday’s vote came after Jones last week laughed at a constituent asking how he would vote this time around.

Alabama’s junior U.S. senator also previously voted against banning using federal funds for abortions and has been a staunch pro-abortion advocate while in the U.S. Senate.

Jones has been endorsed in his 2020 reelection bid by State. Rep. John Rogers (D-AL) of “kill ’em now or kill ’em later” infamy. Rogers has asserted that Jones privately called him to say those remarks were “right.” Jones, confronted by a tracker last year, refused to comment on that allegation.

Last year, Jones criticized Republican lawmakers in Alabama for pushing the nation’s strictest abortion ban. He called their pro-life views “callous” and “extreme.”

While Alabamians in the 2018 general election voted overwhelmingly to declare the official policy of the state as being pro-life, Jones has stressed in public comments that representing the majority of his constituents is not “the be all to end all.” He recently doubled down on this admission when defending his two votes to remove President Donald Trump from office.

“Anti-Trump Democrat Doug Jones has given up on Alabama,” NRSC spokesperson Nathan Brand stated on Tuesday afternoon following the vote. “Whether it’s his work to remove President Trump from office or votes today to side with the pro-abortion lobby, Jones doesn’t stand for the values Alabamians hold dear.”

UPDATE 3:50 p.m.

In a tweet, Shelby said, “As a pro-life advocate, I voted today to advance the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act…”

He called it “an important step in defending innocent human lives.”

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn