[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 68 (Wednesday, May 21, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E996]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  AMERICAN MEDICAL WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION OPPOSES LATE TERM ABORTION BAN

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                            HON. JANE HARMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 21, 1997

  Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, considerable press attention has been 
devoted to the American Medical Association's shift in position and 
endorsement of the late term abortion ban voted on by the Senate today.
  In my view, no less attention should be devoted to the statement of 
the American Medical Women's Association, which has reiterated its 
strong opposition to any legislation intervening in medical and 
surgical care decisions.
  My good friend, Dr. Debra Judelson, president of AMWA and a resident 
of California, has repeatedly pointed out that it is irresponsible for 
the Government to interfere legislatively with physician-patient 
autonomy. Physicians, not the President or Congress, should determine 
appropriate medical options, particularly with respect to a woman's 
constitutionally protected right to choose.
  Mr. Speaker, I recommend my colleagues heed the strong statement of 
the American Medical Women's Association.

   Statement of the American Medical Women's Association on Abortion 
                   Legislation in the 105th Congress

       Alexandria, VA.--The American Medical Women's Association, 
     ``is committed to protecting the reproductive rights of 
     American women and has opposed any legislative intervention 
     for medical and or surgical care decisions,'' says current 
     AMWA President Debra R. Judelson, MD. This week, AMWA 
     reiterated its opposition to H.R. 1122 and S. 6, which seek 
     to ban a particular medical procedure.
       It is the opinion of AMWA's Executive Committee that 
     legislative efforts to regulate abortion have been flawed. 
     Concerns in the following areas have prevented AMWA from 
     taking a position on recent legislative efforts focusing on 
     abortion in the 105th Congress.
       AMWA is gravely concerned with governmental attempts to 
     legislate medical decisionmaking through measures that do not 
     protect a woman's physical and mental health, including 
     future fertility, or fail to consider other pertinent issues, 
     such as fetal abnormalities. Physicians and their patients 
     base their decisions on the best available information at the 
     time, often in emergency situations. AMWA strongly opposes 
     governmental efforts to interfere with physician-patient 
     autonomy.
       It is irresponsible to legislate a particular test of 
     viability without recognition that viability cannot always be 
     reliably determined. Length of gestation is not the sole 
     measure of viability because fetal dating is an inexact 
     science.
       AMWA resolutely opposes the levying of civil and criminal 
     penalties for care provided in the best interest of the 
     patient. AMWA strongly supports the principle that medical 
     care decisions be left to the judgment of a woman and her 
     physician without fear of civil action or criminal 
     prosecution.
       Any forthcoming legislation will be carefully reviewed by 
     AMWA based on the criteria outlined above, and AMWA will seek 
     to ensure that there is no further erosion of the 
     constitutionally protected rights guaranteed by Roe v. Wade. 
     Says AMWA President Debra R. Judelson, MD, ``AMWA firmly 
     believes that physicians, not the President or Congress, 
     should determine appropriate medical options. We cannot and 
     will not support any measures that seek to undermine the 
     ability of physicians to make medical decisions.''
       AMWA has long supported a woman's right to determine 
     whether to continue or terminate her pregnancy without 
     government restrictions placed on her physician's medical 
     judgment and without spousal or parental interference.
       Founded in 1915, the American Medical Women's Association 
     represents more than 10,000 women physicians and medical 
     students and is dedicated to furthering the professional and 
     personal development of its members and promoting women's 
     health.

     

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