The Senate plans to vote on a measure banning most abortions past 20 weeks of pregnancy when members return from August recess, Hill aides say.

The tentative plan is for the Judiciary Committee to take up the measure in September and for the full Senate to vote on it in October, although a full Senate vote could happen earlier. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has promised for months that Republicans would take it up this year, but hadn't given a more specific timeline.

Anti-abortion groups, who have pushed hard for Congress to pass the ban, hope the recent furor over a video showing that Planned Parenthood doctors help collect fetal organs for biomedical companies will help motivate lawmakers to act soon.

"McConnell has committed multiple times, and recently that it's absolutely going to happen and I think this moment right now only supports that commitment," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List.

The measure prohibits women from obtaining abortions past 20 weeks of pregnancy except in cases of rape, incest or if the mother's life is at stake, based on the idea that a fetus can feel pain beyond that point of development.

The House passed a version of the bill in the spring. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is lead sponsor in the Senate, where it's unlikely to get the 60 votes required to pass.