NCJW Denounces So-Called ''Partial Birth Abortion'' Ban
November 5, 2003, Washington, DC -- The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) denounced the so-called "Partial Birth Abortion" ban bill signed by President Bush today. This new law is an unconstitutional ban on a woman's right to choose. NCJW President Marsha Atkind called the campaign in favor of the ban both dangerous and deceptive and issued the following:
"This legislation (S. 3) is an unconstitutional and dangerous attack on the health and rights of women. Its supporters claim that it only bans a single 'late term' abortion procedure, but, in fact, the new law bans numerous safe and healthy abortion procedures during all three trimesters. The law imposes an undue burden on women seeking access to abortion services; subjects doctors who perform abortions banned in the law to fines, arrest, and imprisonment; unduly interferes in the doctor-patient relationship; and places women's health at risk.
"The Supreme Court recently rejected an almost identical ban in Stenberg v. Carhart because it posed an unconstitutional threat to women's health and lives. The Court based its 2000 decision on the fact that the ban would have prevented women from obtaining the safest methods of abortion, and it lacked an exception in cases where the health of the mother was in jeopardy. The bill that the President signed fails to remedy these flaws. This is the first federal law criminalizing an established abortion procedure. It is also the first federal ban on abortion procedures since Roe v. Wade in 1973.
"We are disappointed that the President and several members of Congress chose to disregard the health needs of some pregnant women, placing their own judgments above those of physicians. This dangerous new law will greatly jeopardize women's health and represents an unprecedented assault on women's civil and reproductive rights."
NCJW is a volunteer organization, inspired by Jewish values, that works to improve the quality of life for women, children and families and to ensure individual rights and freedoms for all through its network of 90,000 members, supporters and volunteers nationwide. It has launched BenchMark: NCJW's Campaign to Save Roe, a national effort to educate and mobilize NCJW members, the Jewish community, and friends and allies everywhere to promote a federal bench with judges who support fundamental freedoms, including a woman's right to choose.
Contact:
Carolyn J. Ratner
202 296 2588; carolyn@ncjwdc.org