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For Perkins the issue is personal. "I'm finishing up my second term in the Louisiana legislature. I was part of passing our partial-birth abortion ban in Louisiana that was overturned by a federal judge, so I've had a number of my own laws that I've passed that have been overturned by federal judges." Abortion groups have promised to file suit as soon as the President signs the bill.

The Congressional debate over the ban included graphic pictures and descriptions of partial-birth abortion. "It has already helped to save some babies lives, because as this issue has been debated over the last eight years, people have come face to face with what happens in an abortion," Wright said. "It's made people realize abortion is not just 'a woman's right to chose'; it is an actual procedure that kills an unborn child."

The debate has changed people's minds, Wright said. "We've seen the majority of people, including the majority of women, are now prolife." In that way, she added, the ban has already saved lives.

"From a strategic point of view," said Cizik, "it is important because success breeds success. We learned that with the passage of the International Religious Freedom Act in the 106th Congress, the Freedom from Trafficking Act in the 107th Congress; and in the 108th, we passed the Prison Rape Elimination Act. This is all part of a broad-based human rights quest that resembles the efforts of our evangelical forbear William Wilberforce, who led the fight against slavery. Its significance exceeds the actual saving of human life. It is part of a bigger picture that needs concrete victories, which breeds success on other issues. You can't discount it for what the opponents might say. It's a step."

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The bill's full text is available here.

Weblog's coverage of the bill includes:

House Votes to Ban Partial-Birth Abortion (June 05, 2003)

Senate Likely to Pass Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Thursday (March 11, 2003)

Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Reruns (March 13, 2003)

Senate Bans Partial-Birth Abortion (March 13, 2003)

Weblog: Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Introduced in U.S. House (Feb. 14, 2003)

House Passes Partial-Birth Abortion Ban. Again. (July 26, 2002)

Other CT coverage includes:

Prolife Groups Ready to Defend Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | Court challenge to new law expected. (July 14, 2003)

Prolife Advocates Herald Partial-Birth Abortion Ban | President Bush promises to sign May 13 Senate bill. (April 23, 2003)

The New Partial-Birth Abortion Bill and Old Myths | Unconstitutional? Rare? Dangerous? Don't believe the disinformation campaign. (Feb. 24, 2003)

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October (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47