| Third Congressional
District, Indiana 2352 Rayburn Building Washington,D.C. 20515 202-225-3915 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House of Representatives, with U.S. Rep. Tim Roemer's strong support, today overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan measure that would ban partial-birth abortions. The legislation, HR 3660, passed the House by a vote of 287 to 141.
During a partial-birth abortion, a doctor partially delivers a living fetus, and then kills the fetus before completing delivery. This procedure is most often used for abortions after five months or more of pregnancy. Under the measure passed today by the House, partial-birth abortions would be allowed only to save the life of the mother.
"Today's vote is one of humanity, not politics," said Roemer. "By banning partial-birth abortions we are sending a message that America will not tolerate the cruelty and inhumanity that it represents. This ban is an issue of decency and common sense, not politics or partisanship. I have consistently voted to reduce the number of abortions performed in America."
Identical measures to ban partial-birth abortions, which Roemer sponsored, have now passed the House and Senate, and the legislation will be sent to President Clinton later this month.
Roemer has consistently supported efforts to ban partial-birth abortions. Twice the House has overridden Clinton's vetoes of measure to ban partial-birth abortions, but the Senate sustained them on both occasions.
The American Medical Association's (AMA) Council on Legislation has voted unanimously to endorse outlawing partial-birth abortions. The doctors described the partial-birth abortion process as "basically repulsive."
Since 1995, thirty states have enacted laws banning partial-birth abortions,
but many of these have not taken effect because of temporary or permanent court
injunctions. On April 25 the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a case involving
a Nebraska law that prohibits partial-birth abortions.