ACLU * ACLU * ACLU * ACLU * ACLU * ACLU * ACLU * ACLU * ACLU
 NEWS RELEASE * NEWS RELEASE * NEWS RELEASE * NEWS RELEASE 

Statement of Estelle Rogers, Reproductive Freedom Project
Public Policy Coordinator
                                     
For IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             
January 22, 1993                      

     We applaud President Clinton for taking executive actions that
reverse the gag rule on family planning clinics and lift the ban on
federally funded fetal tissue research as we celebrate this symbolic day,
the 20th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision, Roe v. Wade
that recognized the fundamental right to a legal abortion.

     In taking this action, the President has signalled his commitment to
freeing health care and medical research from the dictates of the
political agenda of the far Right. In particular, the reversal of the gag
rule is a signficant step in making quality family planning advice
available to poor women who have suffered the most.

     Unfortunately, while President Clinton has today acted to undo some
of the damage he cannot with a stroke of a pen rectify all of the losses
experienced during the last 12 years -- a period when abortion services
declined precipitiously. The Supreme Court's recent ruling in Planned
Parenthood v. Casey has given states a green light to enact ever broader
obstacles to women seeking the full range of reproductive health
services.

     Already in the first two weeks of the legislative sessions, three
bills have been introduced -- in Wyoming, Montana and Utah -- that would
restrict abortion services. Clearly, these will not be the only
legislative measures to be introduced this year that will interfere with
private family decisions.

     At a time when our state legislatures are reconvening, the American
people must continue to be

=============================================================
ACLU Free Reading Room   | A publications and information resource of the  
gopher://aclu.org:6601   | American Civil Liberties Union National Office
ftp://aclu.org           | 
mailto:infoaclu@aclu.org |  "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty"