The Republican-run Congress on Thursday passed a legislation that prohibits federal funding for abortion.

Republicans encountered increasing opposition to an earlier bill that aimed to ban abortion if the pregnancy reaches 20 weeks. They instead passed the new leglislation prohibiting the use of federal funding for the procedure.

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The vote has 242-179 and if the bill passes, it would permanently ban the use of Medicaid to fund all types of abortions. It will also override the 1976 bill called the "Hyde amendment" but has to be renewed annually.

The newly-passed bill would also block the tax credits of people and businesses that have been buying abortion coverage using the federal health care law.

The vote on Thursday reportedly was in time for the 42^nd anniversary of the Supreme Court case Roe Vs. Wade in which involved the fight to grant women the right to an abortion. It also came days after thousands of supporters of anti-abortion causes marched at the annual "March for Life
protest earlier this week.

House Majority Leader Republican Kevin McCarthy from California urged his colleagues to stand with the people in the annual event by voting for the bill, in reference to his colleagues in the Congress.

"Stand up and commit to creating an America that values every life," McCarthy adds.

However, despite the overwhelming number of votes for the bill, the veto threat of United States President Barack Obama and the Senate might mean that the legislation will not be passed as a law.

The law was sponsored by Republican Representative Trent Franks of Arizona and it was originally restrictive but the Party had to change it since they felt it would "turn off" voters. The bill was based on the belief that fetuses can already begin to feel pain by 20 weeks.

Also, the bill originally made an exception for women in life-threatening situations, deeming an abortion legal if the woman has been raped or was impregnated due to incest, and if she is a minor.

TagsAbortion, House bill, Republican, U.S. Congress, federal funding, Hyde amendment