President Bush Signs Partial Birth Abortion Ban into Law

[Jolie Rouge]

President Bush today signed into law the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 to end the abhorrent practice of partial birth abortion. The legislation signed by the President helps continue to build a culture of life in America and will reaffirm a basic standard of humanity the responsibility to defend the vulnerable and weak. As he signed this important legislation the President said, "By acting to prevent this practice, the elected branches of our government have affirmed a basic standard of humanity, the duty of the strong to protect the weak. The wide agreement amongst men and women on this issue, regardless of political party, shows that bitterness in political debate can be overcome by compassion and the power of conscience. And the executive branch will vigorously defend this law against any who would try to overturn it in the courts."



With the President's signature, the ban on partial birth abortion is now law, but as the President said in his remarks there are those that would like to see the courts overturn it. You can make your voice heard in this important debate by writing a letter to your news editors today commending President Bush and the bipartisan group of legislators that made this law possible. Make sure that your community knows that you support the ban on partial birth abortion.


Tips for Writing a Letter to the Editor

Include Your Contact Information: Most newspapers will only print a letter to the editor after calling the author to verify his or her identity and address. Newspapers will not give out that information and will usually only print your name and city should your letter be published.


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[Jolie Rouge]

President Bush Signs Ban on Partial Birth Abortion

Wednesday, November 05, 2003
The Ronald Reagan Building
Washington, D.C.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Good afternoon. I'm pleased that all of you have joined us as the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 becomes the law of the land. (Applause.) For years, a terrible form of violence has been directed against children who are inches from birth, while the law looked the other way. Today, at last, the American people and our government have confronted the violence and come to the defense of the innocent child.
(Applause.)

I want to thank you all for coming. Many of you have worked long and hard to see this bill come to fruition, and we thank you for your efforts.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Thank you, Mr. President. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: I see some members of my Cabinet have come. I appreciate the good work of the Attorney General, John Ashcroft. (Applause.) Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, is here. Thank you, Tommy. (Applause.) There are a lot of members of the Senate and House here today, I want to thank you all for passing this important legislation. I'm glad you're here. (Applause.)

The primary Senate sponsor is with us, Senator Rick Santorum. (Applause.) Senator Orrin Hatch and Senator Mike DeWine helped, as well, in the Senate. Thank you all very much. (Applause.) Steve Chabot was the primary House sponsor, and Steve is with us. Thanks for coming, Steve. (Applause.) I'm thankful that our Speaker is with us today. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate you coming. (Applause.) The Majority Leader, Tom DeLay, as well. Thank you for coming, Tom. (Applause.)

I'd like to mention three other members of the House. Henry Hyde is with us today. Mr. Chairman, we appreciate you coming. (Applause.) Jim Oberstar is with us. Jim, thank you for being here, sir, I appreciate you coming.
(Applause.) Bart Stupak, from Michigan, is with us, as well. Thanks for coming, Bart, glad you're here. (Applause.)

I appreciate His Eminence, Cardinal Egan, is with us today. Thank you very much, sir. (Applause.)

In passing this legislation, members of the House and Senate made a studied decision based upon compelling evidence. The best case against partial birth abortion is a simple description of what happens and to whom it happens. It involves the partial delivery of a live boy or girl, and a sudden, violent end of that life. Our nation owes its children a different and better welcome.
(Applause.) The bill I am about to sign protecting innocent new life from this practice reflects the compassion and humanity of America.

In the course of the congressional debate, the facts became clear. Each year, thousands of partial birth abortions are committed. As Doctor C. Everett Koop, the pediatrician and former Surgeon General has pointed out, the majority of partial birth abortions are not required by medical emergency. As Congress has found, the practice is widely regarded within the medical profession as unnecessary, not only cruel to the child, but harmful to the mother, and a violation of medical ethics. (Applause.)

The facts about partial birth abortion are troubling and tragic, and no lawyer's brief can make them seem otherwise. (Applause.) By acting to prevent this practice, the elected branches of our government have affirmed a basic standard of humanity, the duty of the strong to protect the weak. The wide agreement amongst men and women on this issue, regardless of political party, shows that bitterness in political debate can be overcome by compassion and the power of conscience. And the executive branch will vigorously defend this law against any who would try to overturn it in the courts. (Applause.)

America stands for liberty, for the pursuit of happiness and for the unalienable right of life. And the most basic duty of government is to defend the life of the innocent. Every person, however frail or vulnerable, has a place and a purpose in this world. Every person has a special dignity. This right to life cannot be granted or denied by government, because it does not come from government, it comes from the Creator of life. (Applause.)

In the debate about the rights of the unborn, we are asked to broaden the circle of our moral concern. We're asked to live out our calling as Americans. We're asked to honor our own standards, announced on the day of our founding in the Declaration of Independence. We're asked by our convictions and tradition and compassion to build a culture of life, and make this a more just and welcoming society. And today, we welcome vulnerable children into the care and protection of Americans. (Applause.)

The late Pennsylvania Governor Robert Casey once said that: when we look
to the unborn child, the real issue is not when life begins, but when love begins. (Applause.) This is the generous and merciful spirit of our country at its best. This spirit is reflected in the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, which I am now honored to sign into law. God bless. (Applause.)

(The bill is signed.) (Applause.) Thank you, all. (Applause.)

[Jolie Rouge]

New York Judge Blocks New Abortion Ban
By Gail Appleson

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?floc=FF-RTO-rontz&idq=/ff/story/0002%2F20031106%2F153510968.htm&sc=rontz

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York federal judge on Thursday blocked the government from prosecuting a group of doctors for performing a type of late-term abortion banned under a law just signed by President George Bush.

In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Richard Casey issued a temporary restraining order against enforcement of the ban that Bush signed on Wednesday against so-called "partial-birth" abortions.

The order had been sought by the National Abortion Federation, the professional association of abortion providers in the United States and Canada, and seven named doctors.

The order temporarily stops U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft from enforcing the ban against the plaintiffs, their employees and agents. A similar order was issued by a federal judge in Nebraska on Wednesday minutes after Bush signed the law. Plaintiffs are also challenging the ban in San Francisco.


Louise Melling, director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Act, said the New York order protects a much larger number than the seven doctors. She said it also stops enforcement against National Abortion Federation doctors and they perform half of all abortions in the United States. It also protects other NAF members who work at clinics, doctors offices and hospitals in 47 states.


Casey said that the order will remain in effect through November 21. A government spokesman did not have an immediate comment. However, on Wednesday the Justice Department said it would oppose the similar order issued in Nebraska.


In granting the order, Casey cited arguments by the plaintiffs that the act is unconstitutional because it does not contain an exception to protect women's health.


In 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court declared unconstitutional a Nebraska statute banning partial-birth abortions based, in part on the fact that statute did not contain such an exception.


"We are pleased that the court acted quickly to protect women and their doctors," said Vicki Saporta, President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation. "Allowing Congress to practice medicine without a license endangers the lives and health of women."


The plaintiffs had also argued that the language of the ban is unconstitutionally broad and puts doctors at risk for performing other types of abortions. Casey, however, did not discuss that argument in his ruling.


On Wednesday, Bush vowed his administration would "vigorously defend this law against any who would try to challenge it in the courts."


If it withstands the legal challenges, the "partial birth" abortion ban would constitute the first federal limit on a type of abortion since the 1973 Roe versus Wade Supreme Court ruling backing the right to an abortion.


The U.S. Congress has held emotional debates on the abortion procedure for years, and former President Bill Clinton twice vetoed similar legislation because it did not contain an exception to protect the health of a woman.


In drafting the law, the U.S. Congress determined such an exception was not necessary for health reasons, but did include a more narrow one to save a woman's life.


Under the bill, a doctor could face up to two years in prison as well as civil lawsuits for performing a "partial birth" abortion, defined as intentionally killing a fetus that has been partially delivered.



11/06/03 15:34