U.S. House passes bills on abortion access

The bills clear the Democratic-led chamber largely along party lines, but are expected to fail in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House of Representatives passed a pair of bills on Friday aimed at protecting access to abortion.

The bills cleared the Democratic-led chamber largely along party lines, but are expected to fail in the Senate.

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the landmark Roe v. Wade last month, eliminating the constitutional protection of abortion rights for women in the nation.

Abortion has been one of the most divisive issues in the United States, with the ruling further splitting the nation.

Without Roe v. Wade, states are allowed to impose their own legislation on the medical procedure.

More than a dozen states, whose legislatures are controlled by Republicans, have enacted restrictive abortion laws or will have such legislation take effect in the coming weeks.