US House of Representatives votes to restore abortion rights

The legislation passed 219-210. The House was also voting on a separate bill to prohibit punishment for a woman or child who decides to travel to another state to get an abortion

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Andrew Harnik/AP)

The US House of Representatives has voted to restore abortion rights nationwide in Democrats’ first legislative response to the Supreme Court’s landmark decision overturning Roe v Wade.

The bill has little chance of becoming law, with the necessary support lacking in the 50-50 Senate.