Tucson Standard

Earlier this week, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly voted for the Women's Health Protection Act in the U.S. Senate, which would have codified abortion nationwide, a bill some criticize as too extreme.

On May 11, the U.S. Senate voted on a motion of cloture on the Women's Health Protection Act, which sought to codify abortion as a right for women across the country. The vote failed 49-51.

The Senate vote failed to invoke cloture on the bill, which would have ended debate and advanced the legislation to a final vote for passage.

In reference to his affirmative vote, Kelly tweeted a video on May 11, where he said "women can make these decisions for themselves, and we're going to protect women's health care."

Some Catholics are criticizing Kelly for voting in support of the bill because one of the beliefs of their faith is that abortion is wrong and Kelly is a Catholic himself.

"Our senator has no regard for human life," Donald Hiatt from St. Timothy’s Catholic Church in Mesa, Arizona said. "Unfortunately, he seems to continue to place his party’s values over his Catholic values." 

Forbes reported that the bill was criticized as going too far, with moderate senators like Susan Collins and Joe Manchin saying they would support a less extreme version of the legislation.

Susan B. Anthony List, a national pro-life organization, condemned Kelly's support of the bill, which they criticized as allowing "abortion up until the moment of birth."

Kelly had previously supported the abortion legislation when it was brought up for another vote in February. That vote failed 46-48.