While nearly two-thirds of the nation favor legalized abortion in public opinion polls, a majority of both houses of the Republican-controlled Congress favor outlawing abortion. To make matters worse, three more Senators in the new 105th Congress will be anti-choice, giving the anti-choice forces a slim majority. In the House, abortion-rights supporters gained three advocates, according to data released by NARAL (National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League).

In the new House of Representatives, 144 members will be pro-choice, 67 have a mixed record (they support choice in some cases but are often anti-Medicaid funding of abortion), and 219 favor outlawing abortion. At least four races were still undecided at press time. This compares to 142 abortion-rights votes in the 104th Congress, 68 mixed, and 224 against legal abortion.

In the new Senate, 36 Senators will be pro-choice, 13 mixed, and 51 for outlawing abortion. While the anti-choicers have a slight majority, it is below the 2/3 majority needed to override a presidential veto. In the 104th Congress, 39 Senators were pro-choice, 13 mixed, and 48 for outlawing abortion. While no incumbent pro-choice Senators lost their races, several pro-choice and mixed-record Senators retired from the 104th Congress, including Bill Bradley (D-NJ), William Cohen (R-ME), David Pryor (D-AR), and Nancy Kassebaum (R-KS).