[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2150]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE SUPREME COURT DECISION, ROE V. WADE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 9, 1999

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, Friday January 22nd 1999 marked the twenty-
sixth anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, which 
ensured the right of all women to make decision concerning their 
reproductive health. For millions of women, Roe v. Wade has secured the 
constitutional right to seek access to safe and legal family planning 
and abortion services. Its impact on the health and safety of the lives 
of women cannot be overstated.
  It is an outrage that despite the Supreme Court's ruling, women still 
face barriers to seeking abortion without danger. States continue to 
find ways to restrict access by law, and even more troubling is the 
recent trend of clinic violence and the harassment of doctors and 
workers by anti-choice activists. I would like to highlight some cases 
from this past year of violence and threatening behavior in my home 
state of California:
  In February, a bombing attempt was made on a family planning clinic 
in Vallejo. The briefcase that contained the alleged bomb was later 
discovered to be empty.
  In April a firebomb was thrown at a Planned Parenthood family 
planning clinic in San Diego, causing $5,000 in damages.
  A door was broken in El Monte when a rock was thrown at the Family 
Planning Medical Center.
  In July, a San Mateo family planning clinic worker was accused of 
physical assault by three anti-choice protesters. The protestor's 
injuries were not found by the police to warrant charges.
  In San Diego, a clinic was vandalized, the buildings covered with the 
words ``baby killer.''
  In September the new Planned Parenthood headquarters in Orange County 
face over thirty chanting anti-choice protesters.
  In Fairfield, a physician was harassed by anti-choice protesters as 
he arrived for work one morning.
  These events are mirrored by others across the country, and show that 
the fight for productive choice did not end with the Roe v. Wade 
decision. Twenty-six years ago the Supreme Court held up the right to 
reproductive choice for women, yet it is still debated on the floor of 
the House of Representatives on a near daily basis. We must keep up the 
fight for a women's right to choose. I remain committed to do all I can 
to preserve that choice.

                          ____________________