“Those of us who rejoiced 30 years ago when women won the right to choose did not think we would be here today defending that right against an administration determined to take it away,” Schakowsky said, pointing to the Bush Administration’s nomination of more than 100 anti-choice judges to federal district and appellate courts, and a possible future appointment of an anti-abortion Supreme Court Justice.  She warned that an appointment to the Supreme Court by Bush could result in the reversal of Roe v. Wade.  

Schakowsky also added that the House and Senate Republican Leadership will attempt to pass anti-choice legislation that Bush has promised to sign, including bills that would:

• allow any health care entity to refuse to offer abortion services, information, or referrals for any reason; 
• ban certain types of legal abortions that may be necessary to save the life or health of the mother; 
• make it a crime for anyone other than a parent, including a grandparent or a religious counselor, to accompany a minor across state lines for an abortion; and
• create new federal crimes for bodily injury or death of an “unborn child” who is “in utero” at the time the act took place.

Schakowsky pledged to work with her colleagues and advocates across the county to protect the Constitutionally-guaranteed right to an abortion

The list below demonstrates the Bush Administration’s abysmal record on choice:

• Global Gag Rule – President Bush reinstated the Global Gag Rule when he cut off U.S. funding to international family planning organizations that offer abortion counseling or services, distribute information about abortions, or lobby for abortion reform.   January 2001

• Funding for Contraceptive Coverage for federal employees – In his FY 2002 budget, President Bush eliminated funding for contraceptive coverage in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP).  The House restored funding for the year, and Bush did not exclude coverage in his FY 2003 budget.  (FEHBP has covered Viagra since its introduction in 1998.)  Winter 2001

• CHIP Proposal – The Bush Administration announced and then implemented their new policy of designating fetuses as children eligible for funds under the Children’s Health Insurance Program.  This was the first time that federal law designated an unborn child as a person with rights.  January 2002

• “National Sanctity of Human Life Day” – On the anniversary of Roe. V. Wade, President Bush declared January 22, 2002 and then January 19, 2003  the National Sanctity of Human Life Day in  proclamations that likened abortion to terrorism.  January 2002 and 2003

• UNFPA Funding – President Bush withheld $34 million in funding – already approved by the Congress – to the United Nations Population (UNFPA), which is used for family planning services around the world.  July 2002

• Charles Pickering – President Bush nominated Charles Pickering to the 5th District U.S. Court of Appeals.  Another staunch opponent of choice, Pickering led the fight in 1976 for a Constitutional amendment banning abortions.  His nomination failed in the 107th Congress.  He was re-nominated by Bush on January 7, 2003.  

• Priscilla Owen – President Bush tried again to nominate an aggressively anti-choice judge to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.  As a Texas Supreme Court Justice, Owen consistently denied young women judicial bypasses in obtaining abortions without parental consent.  She has been described as being far right wing in Texas court.  Her nomination failed in the 107th Congress.  She was re-nominated by Bush on January 7, 2003.

• Dr. David Hager – President Bush nominated Dr. Hager to the Advisory Committee for Reproductive Health Drugs at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  The essential purpose of this committee is to advise the FDA on the safety and effectiveness of reproductive health drugs.  Dr. Hager has frequently voiced his opposition to many safe and effective reproductive health options, such as mifepristone (RU-486), and, in practice, has reportedly refused birth control pills to unmarried women.