NOW MOBILIZES SUPPORT FOR SURGEON GENERAL NOMINEE;
WINS ANOTHER ROUND IN SCHEIDLER ANTI-RACKETEERING CASE
FEBRUARY 8, 1995

NOW today is uniting with other reproductive rights groups in mobilizing support for U.S. surgeon general nominee Dr. Henry Foster. NOW leaders are delivering a letter to U.S. senators on behalf of the organization's 250,000 members. They are responding to numerous inquiries from state leaders and setting up a phone campaign to more than 600 local chapters.

In the letter to senators, NOW Executive Vice President Kim Gandy says, "We urge you to consider Dr. Foster's merits as a doctor and leader in the fight against teenage pregnancy and to condemn ... attacks against him for what they are -- another attempt to eliminate the constitutional right to abortion, not through the ballot, but through the bullying of doctors.

"This rhetoric demonizes doctors who perform abortions and contributes to the current climate of intimidation, harassment and violence" directed at the personnel and patients of reproductive health facilities, she said.

These attacks aimed at further reducing women's access to reproductive health services are one of the major reasons for NOW's upcoming mass Rally for Women's Lives in Washington April 9.

NOW today is moving forward with its anti-racketeering case against anti-abortion extremists, NOW v. Scheidler, after several favorable rulings yesterday. The trial judge allowed NOW to amend its original complaint to include the murders and additional acts of violence that have occurred since the complaint was first filed in 1986, according to NOW attorney Fay Clayton of Chicago. In addition, the judge rejected all of the defendants' delaying tactics.

NOW's efforts in support of Dr. Foster are part of its 100 Days of Action designed to counter the Republican plans for the first 100 Day of Congress, as spelled out in the Contract ON America. NOW's actions will culminate with the massive Rally For Women's Lives April 9 on the mall, which will call for an end to all violence against women, anti-abortion violence, the Contract ON American and the war on poor women.
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