WASHINGTON–Facing mounting pressure to respond to a conservative Supreme Court ruling, House Democrats passed two bills Friday that would protect abortion rights and the women who travel across state lines for the procedure. 
But there are major questions about whether either bill can get past a 50-50 Senate and reach President Joe Biden’s desk.
This week marks the first time lawmakers have convened since the conservative majority on the Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that had legalized abortion in the U.S. for half a century. In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas called on the Supreme Court to “reconsider” other rights established by the high court, including access to contraception and gay marriage
Thomas “confirmed many of our deepest fears about where this decision may lead: taking aim at additional long-standing precedent and cherished privacy rights, from access to contraception and in-vitro fertilization to marriage equality,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., wrote in a recent letter to House colleagues. “Legislation is being introduced to further codify freedoms which Americans currently enjoy.”
House Democrats will also introduce additional legislation in the coming weeks to protect patients’ privacy rights and prohibit any restrictions on contraception, she said. 
The House action Friday follows recent executive action from Biden. 
Last Friday, the president issued an order to protect access to emergency contraception and other health services.
More:US government tells hospitals they must provide abortions in cases of emergency, regardless of state law
On Monday, he ordered hospitals in every state to require doctors to perform abortions in emergency situations that would save pregnant patients’ lives. 
“Under the law, no matter where you live, women have the right to emergency care – including abortion care,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. 
Biden’s orders came as the White House faced criticism, including from within the president’s party, for not responding more robustly to the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. 
The 50-50 Senate stands in the way of moving to Biden and becoming law. 
Democrats have struggled to get their full party to vote for abortion rights, with Manchinvoting against a House bill in May that would have codified Roe. Even if Manchin had voted yes, the bill still would have fallen 10 votes short of the 60 needed to overcome a filibuster.
However, Manchin expressed a willingness after Roe was overturned to work with a bipartisan groups of senators, including Susan Collins, R-Maine; Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizona; Tim Kaine, D-Va.; and Lisa Murkowski, R-Ak.
After the high court reversed 50 years of legalized abortions, Manchin said even though he is pro-life, he would “support legislation that would codify the rights Roe v. Wade previously protected.”
Candy Woodall is a Congress reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @candynotcandace.

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