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Subject: And the Last Abortion Veto=
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 92 05:06:14 EST
Message-ID: <6.1992Nov6.050614@AmeriCast.com>

And the Last Abortion Veto=

 FOR FOUR YEARS President Bush has, by veto or threat of veto,
thwarted the will of Congress on a series of bills relating to
abortion. Last weekend he exercised that power one more time. A
bill that would have allowed military personnel and their depen-
dents serving abroad to obtain abortions in U.S. military hospi-
tals at their own expense died by pocket veto. No one was
surprised. But now the election returns have decisively changed
the landscape of the abortion rights struggle, not simply for
this bill but for all the others that have been passed and vetoed
during the Bush administration.

 The military personnel measure had been passed as part of one
Defense Department bill or another every year for the past three
years. But because of the president's veto threats, it has always
been dropped in conference. Last month, supporters, exasperated
by the continued use of this tactic, passed the provision as a
separate bill and sent it to the White House. It was a gesture, a
sign of congressional frustration, as much as a real attempt to
change the law. Because of his history, few expected the
president to give it serious consideration, let alone to change
his mind. But a pocket veto sent one final signal, just days be-
fore the election, of Mr.  Bush's intransigence on this question.

Abortion rights were a real issue in this election. Americans
have now voted to remove the White House roadblock that has
prevented congressional response to problems with a personal im-
pact on individuals. Congress can now be expected to repass some
of the bills that have been vetoed by President Bush and have
them signed by a President Clinton. Soon the District of Columbia
will be allowed to use its own money to pay for abortions for
poor women, some of whom are addicts, have AIDS or are homeless
with many children. Poor victims of rape and incest around the
country will become eligible for Medicaid funding for abortions.
The infamous gag rule - invalidated, at least temporarily, by the
U.S. Court of Appeals here on Tuesday - will be permanently re-
voked so that counselors in federally funded family planning
clinics will be allowed to speak to clients about the abortion
option. This country can be expected to resume participation in
international family planning programs, which have been cut off
because they use their non-American money to provide abortion
services in the developing world. And armed forces personnel and
their dependents serving abroad will have the same right to ob-
tain abortions as their colleagues at home.

Perhaps the most significant change, though, will not be reflect-
ed in legislation but in the exercise of the appointment power.
For the next four years at least, a president who supports the
principles of Roe v. Wade will be nominating justices to the U.S.
Supreme Court. On this issue the world changed on Tuesday. 02:04
11-06C9999-----

Copyright 1992, The Washington Post.  This story is from the
Washington Post's Capitol Edition On-Line and is not to be ar-
chived or redistributed.

For more information, send-email to American Cybercasting Cor-
poration (usa@AmeriCast.COM)