Wednesday, March 15, 2000
Late-term abortion procedure targeted
Lucas is co-sponsor of bill in House
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FRANKFORT — U.S. Rep. Ken Lucas, D-Richwood, is co-sponsoring legislation that would effectively ban the late-term abortion procedure critics call partial-birth abortion.
Under the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2000, any physician who knowingly performed one would face a fine and possible prison term of up to two years.
Mr. Lucas, who represents Kentucky's 4th District, called the procedure “murder, plain and simple.”
“It is time we put an end to this gruesome practice once and for all,” Mr. Lucas said Tuesday. “We must never give up in the fight to protect the sanctity of life for all our children, born and unborn.”
The bill probably will be voted on sometime this year, said John Lapp, Mr. Lucas' chief Washington aide.
Even if it passes both the House and Senate, it may be vetoed by President Clinton. The president has vetoed two previous bills that would have barred late-term abortions, and backers of the legislation did not have enough votes to override the vetoes.
Abortion is an important issue in Northern Kentucky and throughout the 22-county 4th District. During his 1998 election campaign, Mr. Lucas ran on a platform of opposing abortion.
GOP lawmakers in Frankfort applauded Mr. Lucas' stance on the bill.
“I'm proud of Ken,” said Rep. Paul Marcotte, R-Union, a staunch opponent of abortion. “That's an important bill, and I'm glad to see him stand up for it.”
Two years ago, Kentucky lawmakers passed a bill barring late-term abortions in the state. It was challenged and ruled unconstitutional by a federal court in Louisville.
The case was appealed and is before the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati. It's unlikely the case will ever be heard because the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take up the challenge of a late-term abortion ban passed by the Nebraska Legislature.
Kentucky's late-term abortion ban was patterned after the Nebraska law, so it is thought the appeals court in Cincinnati will hold off making a decision because of the Supreme Court's involvement.
State Sen. Jack Westwood, R-Erlanger, also a strong opponent of abortion, said he was glad to see Mr. Lucas supporting the federal law.
“But (Mr.) Clinton will probably veto anything that does pass the Congress,” Mr. Westwood said.
Late-term abortions are typically performed after the sixth month of pregnancy.
“When we live in a culture of death it is difficult to explain to our children the value of life,” Mr. Lucas said.
“We have to defend all life, whether in the dawn of life, the shadows of life, or the evening of life. A ban on partial-birth abortion is a step in the right direction.”
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