Related articles and links |  1 of 2

The Republican-led Senate voted 64-33 on March 13 to prohibit partial-birth abortions. Congress passed similar bills twice before, but President Clinton vetoed them. Observers expect the House to approve the Senate bill. President Bush has promised to sign it.

President Bush praised the vote, saying, "Partial-birth abortion is an abhorrent procedure that offends human dignity."

The bill imposes fines and possible jail time for doctors who commit an "overt act" to kill a "partially delivered fetus." In the controversial procedure, doctors deliver most of the baby through the birth canal, crushing the head while it is still in the womb.

The Senate bill contains an exception to save the life of the mother. The Supreme Court struck down a similar Nebraska law in 2000 without that provision.

Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, said the ban is "yet one more encouraging sign that the prolife movement is winning the long-term struggle for hearts and minds on the issue of life in the womb."

Jay Sekulow, chief counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice, vowed to "work aggressively to defend this [proposed] law in court—a law that is not only necessary, but eminently constitutional as well."

Opponents said they will fight the measure in court.

Copyright © 2003 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Recent CT articles on the partial-birth abortion ban include:

Weblog: Senate Bans Partial-Birth Abortion | After a 64-33 vote, the measure moves to the House. (March 13, 2003)

Weblog: Senate Likely to Pass Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Thursday (March 11, 2003)

The New Partial-Birth Abortion Bill and Old Myths | Unconstitutional? Rare? Dangerous? Don't believe the disinformation campaign. (Feb. 24, 2003)

New Congress, New Agenda | Abortion, judgeships, cloning ban are top priorities for conservative Christians. (Dec. 11, 2002)

Weblog: House Passes Partial-Birth Abortion Ban. Again. (June 26, 2002)

More Christianity Today abortion stories can be found at our life ethics archive. Previous articles about abortion in the U.S. include:

Saved by Sonogram | Ultrasounds help crisis pregnancy centers reduce abortion. (Feb. 24, 2003)

New Life for Prolife | Abortion is no longer the ghastly growth industry it was in the 1970s and 1980s. (Feb. 24, 2003)

Prolife as Mafia? | Supreme Court to decide if racketeering laws apply to anti-abortion activities. (Jan. 15, 2003)

Saving Black Babies | Abortion has cost 13 million African American lives. (Jan. 19, 2003)

Abortion and the Court | The Roe v. Wade decision runs counter to the moral sense of the American people.

Reversing Roe v. Wade | It may take more than a single court decision to counter abortion on demand.

You Say Choice, I Say Murder | Before prolife arguments can reach the undecided American, we have got to look at the language we use.

FDA Candidate Irks Abortion Pill Advocates | The Christian Medical Association says critics fear David Hager's "well-grounded" opposition. (Nov. 26, 2002)

Embracing the Unwanted | Chinese American Christians are starting to become more openly prolife. (May 9, 2002)

Doctors Slow to Prescribe Abortion Pill | Since RU-486's approval, rising safety concerns and common side effects have led to little use. (Nov. 12, 2001)

Whistleblower Fired | Nurse Jill Stanek's lawyer calls action retaliation for prolife views. (Oct. 26, 2001)

Bush's Prolife Strategy Questioned | White House chief of staff says abortion isn't on list of public policy priorities. (June 15, 2001)

next page... |  1 of 2

May 2003, Vol. 47, No. 5