Fetal-pain disclosure bill fails by slim margin

From the NYT:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 — The House on Wednesday rejected an anti-abortion measure offered by Republicans as Congressional leaders struggled to bring the 109th Congress to a close.

On a 250-to-162 vote, backers of the measure fell short of the two-thirds majority necessary to pass the bill, which would require medical personnel to inform women that a fetus could experience pain and to offer anesthesia for the fetus. The supermajority vote was required under special rules used to consider the bill. [Full article.]