Theatre of Battle, 1995

Clinton signed this restriction as part of Department of Defense appropriations.

Abortion was covered by their insurance in the first two years of the Clinton administration, FY 1994 and 1995.

The procedure is a late term abortion when the mother's life or health is endangered, or when there are severe fetal deformities. It is considered the safest possible solution in this situation, and offers the woman a greater chance of future pregnancy.

Under the versions passed by both the House and Senate, a doctor could be sued for malpractice or criminally prosecuted for performing the operation.

During the debate, Senator Bob Smith (R-New Hampshire) claimed that it would mean "babies" being aborted at 8-1/2 months simply because they are girls or have blue eyes.

Senator Alan Simpson (R-Wyoming) spoke against the ban: "I cannot presume to limit the options of any woman who is anguishing over a crisis pregnancy. ... [Abortion] is an alternative. It is an option. It is obviously one of the most difficult choices or options that any ... woman must make. I do not spend any part of my life trying to inflict ... my personal views on others. I see that happening here ... especially in the hallways, [it is those] who do it with steely-eyed zealotry that I tire of. ... We in Congress should not be legislating in this area. This is overreaching in every sense."

Simpson also noted that the bill refers to the "killing of a human fetus" which he said was unheard of. "Where did [this terminology] come from? It is a manifestation," said Simpson, "of a manipulative group trying to desperately knock of Roe vs. Wade."

The bill will return for more House debate when Congress resumes later this month.

In a statement from from Omaha Planned Parenthood Executive Director Jan Kennedy, she observed, "At a time when we have politicians demanding that the government get off people's backs, we have our legislators saying that they as politicians would make this very personal, private decision for women. Frankly, it's none of their business."

Estelle Rogers, policy director for the ACLU's Reproductive Freedom Project says that she expects similar legislation to be introduced in Congress later this year.

Although this language was approved during most of the years of the Reagan and Bush Administrations, it was struck during the first two years of the Clinton Administration, when the District was permitted to manage the use of its own funds.

The bill died last month, stalled by a tie vote in the Health Committee. A similar bill had been introduced in 1994.

The publication of the names of women who have abortion appears to be a growing tactic of anti-abortion activists. According to a Planned Parenthood newsletter, the Rescue America group claims to have the names and addresses of more than 500 women in the Baltimore area, obtained from rummaging through clinic garbage.