Federal Abortion Ban - Timeline
Discover the history of the federal efforts to restrict safe abortion procedures.
- 1995-1996 - The U.S. Congress passed the first nationwide ban on abortion, which was vetoed by President Clinton. Although abortion foes were able to override the President's veto in the House, Senators sustained the President's action and prevented the act from becoming law.
- 1997 - Congress passed a slightly amended version of the law, which was again immediately vetoed by President Clinton.
- 1998 - The House once again overrode the President's veto and the Senate sustained the President's action.
- 1999-2000 - The Senate and House passed the 1997 version. With the end of the Congressional session, the bill died.
- June 2000 - The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Nebraska abortion ban, which had been modeled on the federal ban. The case was argued by the Center for Reproductive Rights.
- 2001 - Neither the House nor the Senate introduced an abortion ban in the 2001 legislative session, though Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chair of the Pro-Life Caucus in Congress, said that a federal ban was a top priority for him.
- 2002 - A new abortion ban that fails to remedy the flaws in the law found unconstitutional in Carhart was passed in the House of Representatives.
- 2003 - Congress passed and President George W. Bush signed the first federal law banning abortions as early as 12 to 15 weeks in pregnancy. Judge Richard Kopf (Nebraska) immediately blocked enforcement of the federal law in order to protect doctors’ rights and women’s health while the case proceeds. Three federal courts will conduct trials to consider the constitutionality of this law beginning March 29, 2004. Suits are filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and Wilmer Cutler Pickering LLP on behalf of the National Abortion Federation and other doctors; the Center for Reproductive Rights on behalf of Dr. LeRoy Carhart and other doctors; and Planned Parenthood Federation of America on behalf of its member affiliates. The defendant is Attorney General John Ashcroft.
- 2004- All three federal courts declare the ban unconstitutional.
- 2005- The White House asks the Supreme Court to revisit their federal abortion ban.
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