A Northern Virginia lawmaker’s tongue-in-cheek protest of an anti-abortion bill attempted to make it more difficult for men to refill their Viagra prescriptions.

Sen. Janet Howell, D-Reston, proposed Monday that the state make it more arduous for doctors to prescribe medication for erectile dysfunction. The amendment, which predictably failed on a 21-19 vote, was tacked onto a bill that requires women to get an ultrasound of the fetus two hours before an abortion.

Howell described a commercial for the ED drug Cialis in which a long list of side effects were rattled off and suggested, somewhat facetiously, that as a matter of gender equity the state should also require heightened medical awareness for men who use ED drugs, including a rectal exam.

“It’s only fair that if we’re going to subject women to unnecessary procedures” the state should do the same for men, Howell said.

Sen. Chuck Colgan, D-Manassas, was the lone Democrat voting against it, but the amendment had little chance of passing a split Senate. Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a Republican, has the authority to break ties.

After getting preliminary approval Monday, the Senate could pass the abortion bill as early as Tuesday. The bill requires doctors to offer women a copy of the ultrasound image and audio of the fetus’ heartbeat.

The image would remain in the women’s medical file for at least seven years. The bill excuses medical emergencies.

Republicans are pushing a number of bills to limit abortions, including a Mississippi-style “personhood” bill that gives a fetus the same rights as everyday citizens.