Public Agenda Online: U.S. House Passes Third 'Partial Birth' Abortion Ban in Five Years

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U.S. House Passes Third 'Partial Birth' Abortion Ban in Five Years

For the third time in five years, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would ban the procedure that opponents call "partial birth" abortion. President Clinton vetoed the two previous bills, and has promised to veto this one, arguing that while he opposed late-term abortions, he would demand an exception in cases where the mother's health was in jeopardy, not just cases in which a mother might die without an abortion. The House passed the ban by 287 to 141, a large enough margin to override a veto. However, when the Senate approved a similar ban in October, it fell two votes short of the two-thirds needed to override a veto. Partial-birth abortion bans have been enacted in about 30 states, but in most cases have been struck down or curtailed by lower courts. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments this month on the constitutionality of Nebraska's partial-birth abortion ban, making it the first abortion case the court has taken up in eight years.

For additional context on partial-birth abortion, visit our issue guide on Abortion.

Public Opinion:
	Most people think abortion should be legal in the first trimester of pregnancy, but say it should be illegal in the second and third trimesters
	More than half of Americans say they favor a ban on partial-birth abortions, but many have not followed the debate closely
	Most Americans say banning late-term abortions should be an important goal for the federal government, but most say other issues should take priority
	While nearly two-thirds say they do not want the government to interfere with a woman's access to abortion, many support stricter limits
Fact File:
	States with "partial-birth" abortion laws
	Weeks into pregnancy
Additional Information:
	Quick Takes
	Sources and Resources
	Notable and Newsworthy


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