Legislative Background
Recent Action on Partial-Birth Abortion
Legislation banning partial-birth abortion has come close to becoming law several times over the past decade. In the 104th and 105th Congresses (1995 to 1998), President Clinton twice vetoed such bills, citing their failure to include an exception that would permit partial-birth abortions to protect "the lives and health of the small group of women in tragic circumstances who need an abortion performed at a late stage of pregnancy to avert death or serious injury." In the 106th Congress (1999 to 2000), both the House and Senate passed partial-birth abortion ban legislation. Conferees were appointed to resolve differences between the…
