WASHINGTON (October 8, 1997) -- An official of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops hailed today's vote by the House of Representatives to accept Senate amendments to the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act and send the legislation to the President for his signature.

The House vote on October 8 was 296-132.

"We applaud the House of Representatives for its overwhelming bipartisan vote to ban partial-birth abortions," said Helen Alvare of the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities. "Congress is sending a clear message: the violent killing of mostly born children disgraces our nation.

"For the past two years the President has insisted that this ban requires a 'health of the mother' exception, Ms. Alvare continued. "But the American Medical Association, hundreds of ob-gyns and specialists in high-risk pregnancy who belong to the Physicians' Ad Hoc Coalition for Truth, and former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop are on public record: there is no situation in which the partial-birth procedure is necessary to protect a woman's health.

"On June 25, 1997, Bishop Anthony Pilla, President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, wrote to President Clinton after the AMA decided to support the ban. The White House has never responded to this letter, or to any of the medical evidence it presented.

"We sincerely hope that President Clinton will study the facts now and sign the bill when it reaches his desk."

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