Shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court’s majority draft opinion signaling the overturn of Roe v. Wade leaked to the press, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced Democrats’ intentions to codify the landmark abortion case by congressional act.

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday took up a vote on the Democrat-sponsored “Women’s Health Protection Act,” a measure which would have legalized late-term abortions across the nation.

Alongside federalizing abortion law, the legislation would have eliminated conscience protections for religiously-affiliated health care providers that opt not to perform certain services based on moral objections.

The measure was defeated by a 49-51 vote, with U.S. Sens. Richard Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) both voting against the bill.

In a statement slamming Senate Democrats’ legislative effort, Tuberville asserted that the American public’s views on abortion were not as “extreme” as the majority party’s “unrestrained” proposal.

“Democrats’ knee-jerk effort to make abortions available on demand until the moment of birth is extreme and out of step with what most Americans believe,” Tuberville declared. “This is the second time the Senate has voted on this unrestrained policy – and for the second time, it has failed to get majority support. In Alabama, we hold our Christian conservative values in high regard and believe that every life is precious. I voted against this bill [Wednesday] to protect the lives of the unborn.”

Presently, the United States is only one of seven countries that allow abortions to be performed after an unborn infant is capable of experiencing pain.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL