Senate Votes To Ban Late-Term Abortions

In a victory for anti-abortion views, the Senate voted Thursday to ban certain late-term abortions unless the mother would otherwise die.

But before the so-called “partial birth” abortion ban, which passed 54-44, can be sent to President Clinton, it must go back to the House, which passed it without an exception for saving a woman’s life.

Even if that difference and other lesser Senate changes are accepted, the president has indicated he will veto the bill because it doesn’t take a woman’s health into account.

Abortion-rights senators lost two attempts to modify the bill.

Senators voted 51-47 against an amendment by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., that would have permitted these rare, late-term abortions if a woman’s fertility or other physical condition was endangered by the pregnancy.

An amendment sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Alan Simpson, R-Wyo., that would have ditched the bill in favor of a resolution saying the Senate had no right to make such medical decisions was voted down 53-44.