The Campaign Against 'Partial-Birth' Abortion Status and Fallout

Almost four years have passed since opponents of reproductive rights kicked off a nationwide campaign against so-called partial-birth abortion, and the issue has been the focal point of the antiabortion agenda ever since. Across the country, the campaign has generated countless hours of debate and scores of legislative votes. Members of Congress have considered the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act in each of the last four years, passing it twice and failing just barely to override the president’s veto, while 28 states have enacted bans—including nine in 1998 alone.