[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 23, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S329-S330]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            COMMEMORATING THE ANNIVERSARY OF ROE VERSUS WADE

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, January 22, 1996, commemorated the 
23d anniversary of the Nation's landmark abortion rights decision Roe 
versus Wade. The Supreme Court's decision in Roe established 
constitutionally based limits on the power of the Government to 
restrict the right of a woman to choose to terminate a pregnancy.
  The right to choose has never been under such fierce attack. In this 
Congress, the U.S. House of Representatives has waged an all-out attack 
on a woman's right to choose. They have continuously voted to restrict 
a woman's fundamental right to choose by:
  Attempting to undermine the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical 
Education [ACGME] revised requirements for residency training in 
obstetrics/gynecology with an anti-choice amendment. Currently, in 
order to address the acute shortage of abortion providers, the revised 
policy requires OB/GYN programs to provide training in abortion 
procedures. However, there is a conscience clause for individuals and 
institutions that have moral or religious objections to abortion. The 
anti-choice amendment would treat those institutions that qualify under 
the exemption clause as though they were accredited for purposes of 
Federal reimbursements, even though they did not provide the training.
  Giving States the option to refuse to provide Medicaid funding for 
abortions in cases or rape and incest.
  Attempting to criminalize for the first time the performance of a 
specific abortion procedure. This measure also passed in the Senate.
  Rejecting an amendment by Representative Patricia Schroeder to allow 
money from the anticrime block grants to be used for protection at 
abortion clinics.
  Rejecting an amendment by Representative Hoke to allow money from the 
anticrime block grants to be used for enhancing security in and around 
schools, religious institutions, medical or health facilities, housing 
complexes, shelters to other threatened facilities.
  Adopting an amendment by Representative Chris Smith which codified 
the Mexico City Policy, which prohibits U.S. funding of any public or 
private foreign entity that directly or indirectly performs abortions 
except in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the woman is 
endangered.
  Rejecting an amendment by Representative Rosa DeLauro which would 
strike language in the Defense authorization bill prohibiting military 
personnel and their dependents from obtaining abortions at overseas 
military bases using their personal funds to pay for the procedure.
  Rejecting a substitute amendment by Representative DeLauro to the 
Dornan amendment to prohibit abortions at overseas military facilities 
unless the life of the woman is endangered and if the Government is 
reimbursed with private money for any costs associated with the 
abortion.
  Rejecting an amendment by Representative Hoyer to delete a provision 
in the Treasury-Postal Service appropriations bill that would prohibit 
Federal employees or their families from receiving abortion services 
through their Federal health insurance policies except when the life of 
the woman would be endangered. The Senate passed this measure but added 
an exception for the life of the mother and rape and incest.
  Rejecting an amendment by Delegate Norton to strike from the 
Commerce, Justice, State appropriations bill provisions that prevent 
funds from being used to perform abortions in the Federal prison system 
except in cases of rape or when the woman's life is endangered. The 
Senate passed this measure, which was vetoed by President Clinton and 
its future is uncertain.
  Adopting an amendment by Representative Greenwood prohibiting funding 
under title X for abortions or directed pregnancy counseling.
  Pro-choice Senators have waged a vigorous effort as have grass-roots 
activists, but we are outnumbered in too many votes in this anti-choice 
Congress.
  Now H.R. 1833 is on the President's desk. It would make it a criminal 
offense to perform a rare abortion procedure used to protect women in 
late term pregnancies. Doctors who have used this procedure have 
testified these very rare abortions are undertaken 

[[Page S330]]
only in the most tragic of circumstances and that the procedure may be 
the only alternative to save women's lives or to prevent serious, long 
term health consequences.
  President Clinton has indicated his intent to veto this bill, and I 
urge him to stand firm in his belief that to outlaw a procedure used by 
physicians out of deep concern for both the mother and the fetus would 
be wrong and a direct violation of Roe versus Wade, which held that a 
woman's life and health must always be considered by any governmental 
entity which regulates abortion.

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