Senate Begins Debate on Partial-Birth Abortion Ban

March 13, 2003—Washington, DC: The U.S. Senate began debate March 11, 2003, on the latest attempt to pass a ban on partial-birth abortions. Pro-life lawmakers believe this is their best shot ever at enacting such a ban into law thanks to the control they have over the agenda in both the Senate and House and the willingness of a pro-life President to sign the bill into law.

On Tuesday, members turned back two amendments that would have tied the promotion of contraception to the bill.

The underlying abortion measure is expected to clear the Senate later this week, and House passage is assured. President Bush has said he would sign the legislation, and pro-abortion Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) told reporters, "This will end up in court. That's absolutely true."

Supporters of the bill argue that the abortion procedure to be banned is barbaric, carried out on an unborn baby within inches of being born alive, and never medically necessary.

Opponents counter that the legislation is unconstitutional because it could ban more than one procedure, and that while it contains an exception to preserve the mother's life, there is no similar provision to protect a woman's health. Such a health exception is routinely opposed by pro-life groups who know that it will only allow all partial-birth abortions to remain legal.

Pro-life Sen. Rick Santorum said no health exception is needed.

"There is no reason, for the health of the mother, to do this procedure," he argued. "And so, while Roe requires a 'health of the mother' exception, it doesn't if there is no health consequence."

Santorum's assessment is supported by Dr. Curtis Cook, associate director of maternal-fetal medicine at Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, Mich.

"There's no health benefit to the mother whatsoever [and] certainly no health benefit to the fetus," Cook, who is also an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Michigan, explained. "There is even evidence that would support that this may indeed be a more dangerous procedure for the mother than other, previously existing procedures."

Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop came to a similar conclusion nearly six years ago.

"Partial birth abortion is never medically necessary to protect a mother's health or fertility," Koop said on May 13, 1997. "On the contrary, this procedure can cause a serious threat to both."

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a surgeon, joined the roster of lawmakers expressing support for the measure during the day, describing the type of abortion in dispute as "a fringe medical procedure...it is outside the mainstream."

He said a partial-birth abortion is not usually performed until a woman has reached a 20th week of pregnancy, and that many of the babies killed would have a "fighting chance of being a healthy human being" if the abortion were not performed.

ACTION: Please call or fax your Senators and ask them to support Senate Bill 3, the ban on partial-birth abortions. Also encourage your Senators to oppose any weakening amendments or alternative bills. You can contact any Senator at 202-224-3121 or find specific information for each Senator at http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.