Fetus Protection Bill Passes the Senate

I am not surprised that it passed, but I am somewhat surprised at the margin: Senate Passes Fetus Protection Bill

The Senate voted Thursday to make it a separate crime to harm a fetus during commission of a violent federal crime, a victory for those seeking to expand the legal rights of the unborn.

The 61-38 vote on the Unborn Victims of Violence Act sends the legislation, after a five-year battle in Congress, to President Bush for his signature. The White House said in a statement that it "strongly supports protection for unborn children." The House passed the bill last month.

And Kerry voted for it and aginst it (kinda):

The Senate cleared the way for passage with a 50-49 vote to defeat an amendment, backed by opponents of the bill, that would have increased penalties but maintained that an attack on a pregnant woman was a single-victim crime.

Sen. John Kerry D-Mass., President Bush's opponent this fall, interrupted his campaign schedule to vote yes on the one-victim amendment. He voted no on final passage.

And, what a shame:

"This would be the first time in federal law that an embryo or fetus is recognized as a separate and distinct person under the law, separate from the woman," said NARAL president Kate Michelman. "Much of this is preparing for the day the Supreme Court has a majority that will overrule Roe v. Wade."