Hatfield’s abortion funds bill
called 'dangerous, deceitful’
By Cort Fernald
Of th* Emerald
Oregon Sen Mark Hatfield
has received political darts
and laurels since he in
troduced his controversial an
ti-abortion bill this spring. The
bill now faces what could turn
into a lengthy debate in the
U S. Senate.
Hatfield’s bill, the Federal
Abortion Funds Restricting Bill
(S2372), was attacked last
week by a coalition of pro
choice groups such as the
American Civil Liberties
Union, the National Abortion
Rights Action League and
Catholics for Free Choice. The
coalition calls Hatfield's bill an
unconstitutional attempt to
overturn the Supreme Court
decision which legalized most
abortions
The bill declares that unborn
children are living members
of the human species” and its
intention is to ensure that the
federal government not kill in
nocent human beings or assist
others to do so.” The bill bars
federal agencies from per
forming abortions and funding
abortions or abortion referrals
An exception is granted only if
a mother s life is endangered
Hatfield aides accuse op
ponents of the bill of deliberate
distortions.
One Hatfield aide says
S2372 does recognize the
separation of powers and
doesn't overturn the Supreme
Court’s decision in Roe vs.
Wade — the 1973 case re
sponsible for legalizing most
abortions. Aides say Hatfield’s
bill doesn't attempt to interpret
the constitution or bind the
Supreme Court.
Hatfield's bill was praised by
Oregon's Right to Life organ
ization, which called it "an
excellent bill.”
But the bill has also been
called the “most subtle, most
deceitful, most dangerous” of
recent anti-abortion legisla
tion by pro-choice groups.
Hatfield's legislation is
viewed as another anti-abor
tion effort by a group NARAL
calls “The 4-H Club,” referring
to the four Republican sena
tors — Jesse Helms, John
Heinz, Orrin Hatch and Hat
field — who have sponsored
anti-abortion bills and
amendments.
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Senator Mark Hatfield
the Center for Constitutional
Rights, echoes the concern of
the pro-choice advocates that
Hatfield's bill is little more than
a watered-down version of
Sen. Jesse Helms anti-abor
tion bill (S2148).
The difference, according to
one Hatfield aide, is "we are
stating that these are
biological persons," so the
federal government should
protect them. “Helm’s bill
states these are legal ‘per
sons' and they deserve pro
tection of law and the rights of
the constitution,” the aide
says.
"Hatfield is trying to portray
himself as a moderate” in
contrast to Helms, says Thalia
Zepatos, a representative of
Oregon NARAL. Ironically,
pro-choice advocates have
noticed the phrase "the intrin
sic value of all human life” in
both Helms’ and Hatfield’s bill.
While nationwide groups
may be spearheading opposi
tion to Hatfield’s bill, there are
opponents in Oregon as well.
"There's a lot of opposition
from individuals all over the
state, ” Zepatos says. The
Portland NARAL office has
received nearly 1,500 tele
phone calls and letters op
posed to Hatfield’s legislation,
Zepatos says.
Hatfield is getting so many
letters against his bill that his
office in Washington is no
longer counting or reading the
letters, according to Zepatos.
One disturbing thing about
Hatfield’s bill, Zepatos notes,
is that it short-circuits the
legislative process and the
Supreme Court.
NARAL and other national
pro-choice groups are
angered that Hatfield in
troduced the bill directly onto
the Senate calendar, bypass
ing the usual hearings process
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most legislation goes through
Hearings on Hatfield's bill are
essential, says Zepatos
The bill was put on the Sen
ate calendar for debate, the
senator's aide says, in order to
deal "expeditiously" with the
abortion issue.
"Because Congress has
had extensive hearing and ta
ken dozens of votes on uses of
federal funds for abortion, I
believe S2372 deserves to be
considered immediately by the
full Senate," Hatfield says
Otherwise, abortion riders
(amendments) will continue to
plague the orderly operation
of the federal government, the
payment of its employees, and
its funding of important pro
grams.”
NARAL and other Oregon
pro-choice groups have filmed
television ads and bought full
pages in Oregon newspapers,
Zepatos says. The ads are
what Zepatos calls "generic”
pro-choice — not specifically
critical of Hatfield’s bill.
A recent full-page ad in the
Oregonian, sponsored by a
number of Oregon pro-choice
groups, was mildly critical and
asked Hatfield to allow his bill
to go through the Senate
hearings process so the public
could be more informed on it.
When asked if he saw the ads,
Hatfield remarked — “a piece
of toilet paper,” Zepatos says.
Even Hatfield himself is not
totally satisfied with the bill. He
is concerned with section III of
the bill, which allows “any
person" to file a suit “on his
own behalf or on behalf of un
born children, against any
party" in violation of the bill's
financing and insurance res
trictions. Lawyers, attached to
Hatfield’s Washington office,
are reviewing the section.
Coincidentally, this reflects
the concerns of pro-choice
groups who are afraid pro-life
groups will use this section to
harass hospitals and clinics
with “nuisance suits.”
A restriction of federal funds
to hospitals and clinics would
be disasterous, Zepatos says.
"Almost all hospitals get some
sort of federal funding.” The
effect of the prohibition on
medical research is not
known, she adds.
The bill was originally
scheduled for Senate debate
Monday, but has been post
poned
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