HISTORY OF ABORTION RIGHTS
- in the U.S. January 22, 1973 to Present
ROE V. WADE
On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court for the first time in
history legalized abortion nationwide, basing its decision on a woman's right
to constitutional privacy. The vote was 7 to 2.
HYDE AMENDMENT
In 1977, this legislation cut off federal funding for
abortions for low-income women. Rosie Jimenez is the first known victim of
Hyde.
WEBSTER DECISION
In a 1989 series of Supreme Court votes on Webster v.
Reproductive Health Services, the Court gave states unprecedented authority
to restrict and/or virtually deny abortion -- just stopping short of
reversing Roe v. Wade.
GAG RULE or TITLE X RULING
Under President George Bush, the U.S. government prohibited
federally funded clinics from giving any information about abortion or
referring women to other facilities for abortion services.
PARENTAL CONSENT
Deadly laws requiring women under 18 to get one or both
parents' permission for an abortion. Becky Bell died as a result of
Indiana's PL-106.
CASEY DECISION
This July 1992 decision let states restrict abortions even
more by upholding 24-hour waiting periods and mandatory anti-abortion
counseling for women seeking abortions.
BRAY DECISION
In January 1993, the Supreme Court stripped away federal
civil rights protections that had been used to protect clinics across the
country from fanatical anti-abortion blockades.
5 EXECUTIVE ORDERS
As one of his first official acts, President Clinton
signed five orders on January 22, 1993 reversing the "gag" rule,"Mexico City
Policy", bans on fetal tissue research, RU 486 research and abortion services
in U.S. military hospitals.
FACE BILL
On May 12, 1994, President Clinton signed into law the first
abortion rights legislation in history. The Freedom of Access to Clinic
Entrances Act imposes severe fines, jail sentences and makes it a potential
felony to block access to clinic entrances, intimidate or harrass clinic
workers.
RU 486
On May 16, 1995, in response to years of letters and petitions
generated by the Feminist Majority Foundation
and other pro-choice groups, Roussel Uclaf turned over the patent for RU 486
(now known as mifepristone) to the Population Council of the U.S. On July
18, 1996 the FDA Committee on Reproductive Health recommended that the FDA
fully approve RU 486 as a method of early abortion. The FDA issued an
"approvable letter" on mifepristone in September 1996, with final approval
expected in 1997. On April 8, 1997, remaining worldwide patent rights on
mifepristone were turned over to Dr. Edouard Sakiz, former Roussel Uclaf
CEO, who is committed to making the drug available to women and to
expanding research on this medical breakthrough.
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