House overrides veto on ban for some late-term abortions

Senate unlikely to follow suit

September 19, 1996 Web posted at: 9:00 p.m. EDT

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The House voted Thursday to overturn President Clinton's veto of legislation banning a form of late-term abortion, but chances for an override in the Senate are considered far slimmer.

The House voted 285-137 to revive the ban on the controversial procedure, in which the fetus is partially delivered through the birth canal before it is terminated.

The measure now moves to the Senate, where a two-thirds majority would be needed to overturn the veto. In the original vote on the issue earlier this year, the House voted for the ban by a 2-to-1 margin.

The Senate, however, voted 55-44 in the original vote. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott said Thursday that the Senate could attempt an override next Thursday.

"I suspect it will be hard to override, but it's an important issue we certainly would vote on," he said.

Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole has campaigned actively on the issue. He said Thursday that as more Americans become aware of the "horrible" practice, "the president has been left almost alone, defending the indefensible."

Clinton vetoed the bill in April, saying it "does not allow women to protect themselves from serious threats to their health."

Election-year accusations

Opponents of the bill say the procedure is used rarely, and only in cases where the fetus is deformed, wouldn't live past birth, and its removal by any other method would endanger the mother's health and fertility.

Abortion foes dispute that, saying such late-term abortions are used more often, and are often used for convenience rather than health reasons. Proponents of the bill often cited the procedure's gruesome nature to argue against it.

"How can anyone in this chamber or in the White House defend sticking a pair of scissors into a partially born child's head so as to puncture the child's skull and then a suction catheter is inserted to suck out the child's brains. How can anybody defend that?" asked Rep. Christopher Smith, R-New Jersey.

Republicans are aware that even many abortion rights supporters consider the operation grisly, and they wanted to remind voters about the president's veto last April. Some Democrats who opposed the legislation accused Republicans Thursday of playing election-year politics, bringing up the issue only when it suited their purposes.

"I would say to all these anti-choice Republican militants, the blood is on your hands this year, gentlemen," said Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, who said that anti-abortion representatives did nothing for five months after Clinton vetoed the bill April 10, "as these supposed thousands of murders took place."

"You sat here 'til election eve because you weren't concerned about these procedures, you were concerned about gaining political advantage with the millions of Americans who are genuinely concerned about the question of abortion," Doggett added. (38 sec. /425K AIFF or WAV sound)

As with the original vote on the issue last spring, women from both parties were deeply involved in the debate.

"Bob Dole and Newt Gingrich have spent the last two years trying to eliminate abortion rights completely, and American women know it," said Rep. Nita Lowey, D-New York.

But Rep. Linda Smith, R-Washington, said the procedure was "not for the woman, this is for the abortionist."

On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration conditionally approved the drug RU 486, used in Europe to induce nonsurgical abortions. Anti-abortion forces refer to the pill as "baby poison," and they are still trying to have it banned, even as they savor their House victory.

The Associated Press and Correspondent Bob Franken contributed to this report.

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House overrides veto on ban for some late-term abortions

Senate unlikely to follow suit

Election-year accusations

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