In the first move to ban any form of abortion since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, the House of Representatives was expected to pass legislation Wednesday (3-27) that would outlaw a rare form of late-term abortion used to save the life of the woman carrying the fetus. The procedure, technically referred to as intact dilation and evacuation, is used less than 500 times a year when necessary to protect the health of a woman facing severe health problems due to the pregnancy.
After much deliberation, President Clinton announced last month that he will veto the measure; supporters of the ban will likely not have enough votes to override the veto. On Monday (3-25), the National Council of Catholic Bishops placed a full-page ad in the Washington Post distorting the reasons for the procedure and urging President Clinton not to veto the ban. Abortion rights supporters denounced the ad and have stated their concern that outlawing this form of abortion could lead to further, more broad restrictions on women’s reproductive freedom.
