Mary Clare Jalonick,  Reporter  -  Associate Press Stephan: With the Dobbs decision and states laws passed in Republican controlled states immediately after its announcement, the Great Schism Trend that has been breaking the United States into two countries in a single nation has taken on a much more emphatic and dramtic dimension. Healthcare for women is being determined on the basis of religious and philosophical grounds with no consideration for good medical practice, and it is already clear that the effects are going to be much more complex than was at first apparent and are extending far beyond the abortion issue. And what is next?  On the 5th of  June 2024,  just to test that question,  the Democrats in the Senate introduced a Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Consideration of S.4381, the Right to Contraception Bill. It required 60 votes to go forward with the bill.  The  vote was  51 Democrats voting for the Motion, 39 Republicans voting against letting the bill to protect contraception go forward.   The  saga of politicians, not physicians  making medical decisions is far from over. WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans have blocked legislation designed to protect women’s access to contraception, arguing that the bill was just a political stunt as Democrats mount an election-year effort to put GOP senators on the record on reproductive rights issues, The test vote won a 51-39 majority, but that was well short of the 60 votes to move ahead on the legislation. It came as the Senate has abandoned hopes of doing serious bipartisan legislation before the election. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and his Democrats are trying to instead spotlight issues they believe can help them win the presidency and keep the Senate in November. A similar vote on ensuring nationwide access to in vitro fertilization is expected next week. That bill is expected to similarly stall in the Senate, where Democrats need 60 votes to move forward on legislation. Schumer said Tuesday that Democrats will “put reproductive freedoms front and center before this chamber, so that the American people can see for themselves who will stand up to defend their fundamental liberties.” The effort comes as Democrats worry that reproductive rights will be further threatened after the Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to an abortion two years ago and as they continue [...]

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