Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) held a press conference Wednesday to announce a resolution to oppose a Veteran Affairs abortion policy.

The measure, first introduced in February, pushed back on the using taxpayer dollars to fund abortion services.

Manchin joins Republicans in opposition to VA abortion policy https://t.co/PC7zmFERiD

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) April 20, 2023

The vow

"We’re going to vote to overturn it because it is illegal, it is wrong, and it abuses taxpayer dollars. In September, the VA announced they were going to start performing abortions. The VA had never done abortions before," Tuberville said.

“Congress banned abortion at the VA 30 years ago. It was unanimous. One of the senators who voted for that bill was Joe Biden," Tuberville said. "We have never repealed this law. It is still on the books, and the administration needs to follow it. The administration doesn’t get to change the law without a vote in Congress.”

Effort to Repeal VA Abortion Policy Narrowly Fails in Senate Vote | https://t.co/HQitaRtaJc via ⁦@reporterkheel⁩ ⁦@Militarydotcom⁩ https://t.co/9PsbFMgeLn

— Patricia Kime (@patriciakime) April 20, 2023

Lost but not over

The Senate voted against the resolution late Wednesday.

"The Senate voted 51-48 against advancing the resolution offered by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., that would have reversed the abortion policy the VA implemented following the Supreme Court's ruling last year that ended nationwide abortion rights," Military.com reported.

"The vote closes a chapter of Congress' bid to stop the VA from providing abortions. But the policy is still facing challenges, including a pending lawsuit filed by a nurse in Texas alleging the VA rule violates her religious liberties," it added.

Glad Joe Biden has taken notice of my resolution we’re voting on today.

The VA’s new abortion policy is illegal, it’s wrong, and we are voting to stop it.https://t.co/GVgk4N33dO

— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) April 19, 2023

President Joe Biden had already revealed that he would veto any vote on the issue.

White House demurs

The White House warned the resolution “undermines patient safety and invites political interference into deeply personal decisions made by pregnant veterans and CHAMPVA beneficiaries in consultation with their health care providers, threatening their health and lives.”

The outcome marks a new level of frustration for those opposing taxpayer dollars used toward abortion services, leaving the courts as the next step in the battle.

The Biden administration continues to pursue new abortion rights, including options funded by American tax dollars in contradiction to the values of millions of citizens.