WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives, facing a revolt from female Republicans in the chamber, dropped plans on Wednesday night for a vote on a bill that would ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, according to media reports.
The measure, which the White House had threatened to veto, allowed exceptions in cases of rape where the victims had reported the crime to authorities.
A planned vote for Thursday, which is the 42nd anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion, was derailed after some female Republican lawmakers voiced concern the measure would hurt the party's chances of widening its appeal to women and younger voters, the Washington Post said.
The newspaper quoted a senior Republican aide as saying concerns about the bill had been raised "by men and women members that still need to be worked out."
The Post said the Republican-led House would vote instead on a bill barring federal funding for abortion, a measure it has previously approved.
Republican officials could not immediately be reached for comment.