This ban embodies the greatest fear of many abortion rights supporters because its language implies that ALL abortions could be illegal -- making Wisconsin the first state in the nation to outlaw abortion.  The law defines a fetus as "a human being from the time of fertilization until it is completely delivered from a pregnant woman."

As you may know, this law and its real implications for women have not received a great deal of media coverage.  While several national newspapers have published editorials criticizing this type of ban, television news reports have not covered the issue accurately.  In fact, most television stories do not discuss the threat this type of law poses to all women seeking an abortion.  Nor do they point out that a veto-override vote on the federal legislation (which would spread this danger to every state) is still pending.

ACTION:   To stop the right wing assault on abortion, please consider taking all or some of the following steps.

1)  Call or write to your local television network affiliates -- CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, Fox  etc. -- to ask why they don't present both sides of the issue.

Most news programs refer to the procedure as the "partial birth abortion."  Medical experts point out that no such procedure exists -- the term is a misnomer created by the right wing to cause confusion.  The correct terminology is "D&X abortion," which stands for "dilation and extraction."

The news programs also fail to mention that by including wording like the Wisconsin legislation, lawmakers potentially make abortion inaccessible for ALL women.

Congress has passed bans on late term abortion twice.  President Clinton has vetoed both bills.  Right wing religious groups are furiously lobbying the Senate to override the veto as the issue will surely figure in the Fall elections.  Even if your senator is solid on abortion rights, contact her or him express your support for their position on this vital vote.  They need to know they're doing the right thing by voting to uphold the veto.

For more information on late term abortion, see http://www.now.org/issues/abortion/ban.html