    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
    [April 10, 1996]
    [Pages 568-569]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to Joseph Cardinal Bernardin on Partial Birth Abortion
    Legislation
    April 10, 1996

    Dear Cardinal Bernardin:
        I want to thank you for your letter on H.R. 1833. I appreciate and
    considered the strong moral convictions you expressed.
        This is a difficult and disturbing issue, one which I have studied
    and prayed about for many months. I am against late-term abortions and
    have long opposed them, except where necessary to protect the life or
    health of the mother. As Governor of Arkansas, I signed into law a bill
    that barred third trimester abortions, with an appropriate exception for
    life or health, and I would sign such a bill now if it were presented to
    me.
        Indeed, when I first heard the procedure referred to in H.R. 1833
    described, I thought I would support the bill. But as I studied the
    matter and learned more about it, I came to understand that this is a
    rarely used procedure, justifiable as a last resort when doctors judge
    it necessary to save a woman's life or to avert serious health
    consequences to her.
        In the past months, I have learned of several cases of women who
    desperately wanted to have their babies, who were devastated to learn
    that their babies had fatal conditions and would not live, who wanted
    anything other than an abortion, but who were advised by their doctors
    that this procedure was their best chance to avert the risk of death or
    grave harm which, in some cases, would have included an inability to
    ever bear children again. For these women, this was not about choice.
    This was not about having a headache or fitting into a prom dress, as
    some have regrettably suggested. This was not about choosing against
    having a child. These babies

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    were certain to perish before, during or shortly after birth. The only
    question was how much grave damage was going to be done to the woman.
        In short, I do not support the use of this procedure on an elective
    basis where it is not necessary to save the life of the woman or prevent
    serious risks to her health.
        That is why I implored Congress to add a limited exemption for the
    small number of compelling cases where use of the procedure is necessary
    to avoid serious health consequences. The life exception in the current
    bill fails to cover cases where the doctor believes not that the
    mother's death is probable, but rather that, without the procedure,
    serious physical harm, often including losing the ability to have more
    children, is very likely to occur. I want to say again that if Congress
    will amend the bill as I have suggested, remedying its constitutional
    and human defect, I will sign the bill.
        Again, I thank you for your concern. These are painful and sobering
    issues. I understand your desire to eliminate the use of a procedure you
    see as inhumane. But to eliminate it without taking into consideration
    the rare and tragic circumstances in which its use may be necessary
    would be, in my judgment, even more inhumane.
        Although I know you disagree with me on this matter, I hope we can
    continue our dialogue and continue to work together on the broad array
    of issues on which we do agree. I need your help and your insight.
            Sincerely,

                                                                Bill Clinton

    Note: The letter was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary
    on April 10, but was not issued as a White House press release.