NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee House Republicans on Monday advanced an anti-abortion resolution commemorating the day the medical procedure became legal nearly 50 years ago.
The resolution states that Jan. 22 will be known as the “Day of Tears,” and suggested that Tennesseans should mourn aborted embryos and fetuses. It was adopted on a 72-20 vote after no debate.
The “Day of Tears” concept comes from a Virginia-based anti-abortion organization of the same name, which seeks to get similar legislation passed in every state.
Unlike legislative bills, resolutions are largely symbolic nonbinding gestures. Hundreds are filed each year by lawmakers, who usually go on to approve them without much debate.
Sometimes, a few resolutions become political lightning rods, often representing ongoing tensions inside the Tennessee General Assembly. With Republican majorities in both chambers, anti-abortion resolutions and legislative measures often advance inside the General Assembly.