"I will do everything in my power to restrict abortion." - George W. Bush (Dallas Morning News, October 22, 1994)

Appointments | Actions

Despite his attempts to skirt the abortion issue and to downplay his Party's stance on reproductive rights, President George W. Bush did not take long to begin his attack on a woman's right to safe, legal, and accessible abortion. From the campaign trail to his first few days in office, President Bush has made it clear he is anti-choice through his cabinet appointments and actions to restrict abortion. Bush's agenda to curb abortion rights includes his consistent attempts to stack the federal courts with ultra-conservative, anti-abortion nominees. (Find out more about Bush's nominees to the federal courts and take action against anti-women nominees>>)

Anti-Abortion Appointments

Dick Cheney, Vice President: Dick Cheney may have a "moderate persona" but his voting record is ultra-conservative. As a member of Congress from the state of Wyoming, Cheney voted against federal funding of abortions, even in cases of rape or incest, or when the woman's life is in danger.

John Ashcroft, U.S. Attorney General: John Ashcroft opposes abortion, even in cases of rape or incest. As U.S. Attorney General, Ashcroft is charged with enforcing the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE), which protects clinic workers, doctors, and patients from anti-abortion violence, and which establishes civil and criminal penalties for violations.

Tommy Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services: As governor of Wisconsin, Thompson signed legislation restricting access to abortion and family planning services, including a 24-hour mandatory waiting period and a parental consent law. As Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Thompson now has influence over abortion policy, including the availability of mifepristone, the early abortion pill.

Scott Evertz, White House AIDS Office: In an attempt to appease progressives, Bush appointed openly gay Scott Evertz, president of the Wisconsin Log Cabin Republicans, to head the White House AIDS Office. Evertz is anti-abortion, and was a fundraising executive for the Wisconsin Right to Life group. He will influence White House policy on AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, where the majortiy of HIV-infected persons are women.

Dr. W. David Hager, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory Committee for Reproductive Health Drugs: Was originally slated to be appointed as chair of the FDA advisory committee, but after much protest from the Feminist Majority and other women’s groups he was only appointed as a member. An anti-choice obstetrician and gynecologist in Kentucky, Hagar is a member of the Christian Medical Association, a group he aided in their fight to get the FDA to ban the abortion pill. He “prescribes” prayer in the treatment of many serious illnesses and is reported not to dispense birth control to unmarried women. more>>

Anti-Abortion Actions

Global Gag Rule Reinstated: Tens of thousands of women in developing nations will die each year as a result of President Bush's first executive order reinstating a policy that prohibits family planning programs in the developing world that provide abortion information or abortion counseling from receiving essential U.S. funding. Reinstating the global gag rule was Bush's first offical act as President.

White House Women's Outreach Office Closed: In an unannouced move, President Bush closed the White House Women's Initiatives and Outreach office on January 19, before his publicized first "official" day at work. The office, created by former President Bill Clinton, represented a direct link between the executive branch and national women's organziations.

Elimination of Contraceptive Coverage Proposed: In one paragraph in the appendix to his proposed budget, President Bush suggests eliminating contraceptive coverage for 1.2 million female employees and their dependents covered under the federal employees health benefits plan. The plan required insurers covering the federal program to pay for five different types of birth control, helping to prevent unintended pregnancies.

The Republican Platform supports a constitutional amendment to ban all abortions, along with legislation that would treat a fetus as a person under the law. This is Bush's political position, despite his attempts to downplay the GOP's stance.

Minors' Privacy Rights Revoked: HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson modified a measure ensuring patient privacy, allowing parents to obtain their children's medical records, including information about abortion, mental health or drug use. This move could force women under 18 to seek out unsafe, undocumented methods of terminating an unwanted pregnancy.

Stem Cell Research Threatened: Despite HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson's statement that he supports medical research, many researchers fear that anti-abortion President Bush may block federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. This research shows promise in treatments for diabetes, Alzheimer's Disease, and Parkinson's Disease. Many traditionally anti-abortion Senators and Congress members have recently come out in support of stem cell research. Stem Cell Research in the News

Faith-Based Program Linked to Anti-Abortion Agenda: In a private meeting with Catholic leaders that was accidentally broadcast over a White House audio system, President Bush explicitly connected his new faith-based social service initiative with anti-abortion efforts. Bush said that a religious charity effort for the needy led to "the logical step" of helping "those babies" [i.e. fetuses].

Anti-Abortion Groups Supported: As the Republican presidential nominee, George W. Bush demonstrated his support for the anti-abortion movement, speaking to the annual Christian Coalition conference in October, 2000, saying that America must put more value on "the life of the unborn."

Federal Courts Stacked With Anti-Choice Judges: Bush has made numerous attempts to stack the federal courts with conservative, anti-choice judges through his nominations to the district and appellate courts since the beginning of his term. Bush is placing women's rights and civil rights in grave danger.

Supports Health Care for Embryos and Fetuses, Not Women: After extending health care benefits to fetuses under the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in September, the Bush Administration withdrew its support for extending similar benefits to pregnant women. Pro-choice groups are concerned that the Bush Administration is in fact trying to establish independent rights for fetuses in an effort to ultimately overturn Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to choose abortion.

Drastic Cuts in UNFPA Funding: Carrying out a decision that will cost the lives of tens of thousands of women and children around the globe, President Bush officially shifted the $34 million originally meant for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to a US healthcare program for children overseas. The Child Survival and Health Programs Fund operates programs in 80 countries, as compared to the 142 countries that the UNFPA supports. The result will be a cut in 13 percent of funding for the UNFPA’s international family planning programs – which would have enabled the UNFPA to prevent two million unwanted pregnancies.

Attempts to Define an Embryo as a Person: The recently revamped charter for the federal advisory committee that addresses the safety of research volunteers states for the first time that embryos should be considered a human. By offering protections to embryos in research programs, Bush has attempted to restrict women’s reproductive rights and embryonic stem cell research.