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Clinton Administration Record on Abortion
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Clinton Administration Record on Abortion
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FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY
PRESIDENT CLINTON'S RECORD ON ABORTION
The President has always believed that decisions about abortion should be between a woman, her
doctor and her faith, and that abortions--as protected by the decision in Roe V. Wade--should be safe
and rare. That is why he has consistently protected women's health and safety and the right of
American women to make their own reproductive choices, while he has worked to reduce the number
of unwanted pregnancies. That is also why he has long opposed late-term abortions except when
necessary to protect the life or health of the mother, consistent with Roe V. Wade.
KEEPING ABORTION SAFE AND LEGAL
As President:
Ended the Gag Rule: The Bush Administration instituted a "Gag Rule" that prevented women using
federally funded clinics--primarily poor women--from getting the information they needed to make
informed choices about unwanted or health-threatening pregnancies. President Clinton reversed the
"Gag Rule" in his first week in office.
Ensuring Clinic Safety: Since 1992, five people have been murdered and seven others have been
shot and wounded at family planning clinics where abortions are performed. President Clinton
signed the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act to fight violence and intimidation by anti-
choice extremists against women and their doctors, which is now being implemented by the
Department of Justice.
Assured Access for Military Families Overseas: President Clinton reversed the Bush Administration
ban on privately funded abortions at military medical facilities overseas for women in the military
and in military families. The ban has since been reinstated by the Republican Congress in the Fiscal
Year 1996 Department of Defense Appropriations and Authorizations Bills despite strong opposition
from the President.
Repealed the "Mexico City Policy": President Clinton reversed 12 years of attacks on reproductive
choice for women around the world when he repealed the "Mexico City" policy that banned
distribution of family planning funding for overseas organizations if they perform abortions or speak
out about reproductive choice, even with private money.
Established Services for Victims of Rape or Incest: President Clinton supported permitting Medicaid
coverage for abortion services for poor women who are the victims of rape or incest, in addition to
those whose life is endangered. These services had been banned during the Reagan and Bush
Administrations by the "Hyde Amendment" to the appropriations bill that funds Medicaid. The
proposed 1996 Republican House Appropriations Bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and
Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, allow states to deny Medicaid funding for victims
of rape and incest.
Ended the Ban on Fetal Tissue Research: The Bush Administration banned federal funding of fetal
tissue transplantation research. President Clinton reversed the ban on this research, which could lead
to advances in women's health and in treatment of diseases like leukemia and Parkinson's.
April 17, 1996
Ended the Mifepristone Import Ban for Testing: President Bush imposed an import ban on
Mifepristone, a drug that terminates pregnancy without surgery. President Clinton instructed the
Department of Health and Human Services to explore appropriateness of promoting testing in the
U.S. As a result, importation of the drug was allowed for clinical testing. The nonprofit Population
Council has recently completed clinical trials, and submitted an application to the Food and Drug
Administration to sell the drug for personal use by women in the United States. If approved,
Mifepristone would expand choices for American women--giving them options already available in
France, the United Kingdom and Sweden.
Appointed Two Supreme Court Justices who support the constitutional right to privacy
Fought for Women's Health: President Clinton vetoed legislation passed by the Republican Congress
that would prohibit doctors from performing a certain abortion procedure. He vetoed the bill because
it failed to contain an exception allowing women to use this procedure when necessary to protect
their health from serious injury, as the Constitution and sound public policy require. The President
also made clear to Congress that he would support legislation that included an exception for cases
where selection of the procedure is necessary to avoid serious health consequences.
MAKING ABORTION RARE
Preventing Teenage Pregnancy: The President has urged young people not to become parents before
they are adults, have finished school and are ready to support their children. At the same time, he
has fought hard for policies that give them the tools they need to build responsible and productive
lives by providing them with positive alternatives to early sexual behavior and parenting. The
Clinton Administration strategy for reducing teenage pregnancy is driven by two goals: instilling a
sense of personal responsibility in young people, and providing them with increased opportunities by
investing in their education, their health, their families and communities. We have supported
policies and local programs consistent with these goals.
Recognizing that the government cannot solve this problem alone, the President has called upon
leaders in the private sector to join together to take action in their own communities. The
Administration has worked to support community-wide collaborations that teach responsibility and
promote opportunity by providing information about what approaches work and grant funding for
promising programs. In an effort to help local communities further develop effective prevention
strategies, HHS plans to launch a $30 million collaborative Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative in
FY 1997. Demonstration grants to combat teen pregnancy will be made available to selected cities
with disturbingly high teen pregnancy rates. Funds will be targeted to communities that have
demonstrated a commitment to community problem solving in order to initiate efforts to reach at-risk
teens.
President Clinton's challenge to the private sector to address the high rates of teen pregnancy has also
prompted formation of a National Campaign to Reduce Teen Pregnancy. This effort aims to marshal
the resources across the country to effectively reduce teen pregnancy rates by 1/3 in ten years.
Funding Family Planning: To help prevent unwanted pregnancies, the President has requested budget
increases for the federal Family Planning Program for each year he has been in office. Among other
reproductive health and education services, this program makes family planning information and
contraception available to millions of women who might not otherwise get reproductive health care.
April 17, 1996
Facilitating Adoption: The Administration is working to encourage adoption and reduce the amount
of time children spend in foster care. In October 1994, President Clinton signed the Multiethnic
Placement Act, which removes barriers to adoption based on race or ethnic origin. The President has
also stood firm throughout the budget debate to protect funds for adoption, foster care, child abuse
and neglect, Medicaid, and SSI -- programs that are critical for many adoptive families and children.
During this Administration, the number of children with special needs who have been adopted with
Federal adoption assistance has increased by about 30%.
Signed Family and Medical Leave Act: President Clinton signed the Family Medical Leave Act into
law, allowing workers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for an infant or ailing loved
one without losing their jobs. American workers are no longer forced to choose between their jobs
and their families in times of crisis.
Welfare Reform: President Clinton has fought hard for welfare reform that promotes work and
responsible parenting, but that does not force states to cut people off welfare just because they're
poor, young, and unmarried. Instead of punishing young mothers by simply cutting them off welfare
-- a policy that the Catholic Church and others believe might lead to more abortions -- we should
require minor mothers to live at home, stay at school, and turn their lives around.
As Governor
Late-Term Abortions: Signed a law prohibiting abortions after the 25th week of pregnancy, except
for minors impregnated by rape or incest, or when the woman's life or health are endangered.
Parental Notification: Signed a parental notification law which requires minors to notify their parents
with whom they are living unless they go through a judicial bypass provision and have a reason why
they should not.
April 17, 1996