National Politics & Policy | Sen. Boxer, Rep. Nadler Introduce Legislation That Would Codify Abortion Rights
[Apr 23, 2007]

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) on Thursday introduced legislation (S 1173, HR 1964) that would for the first time codify abortion rights in the U.S., AFP/Yahoo! News reports. The legislation, which came one day after the Supreme Court upheld the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act (S 3), "would bar government, at any level, from interfering with a woman's fundamental right to choose to bear a child or to terminate a pregnancy," Nadler in a statement said (AFP/Yahoo! News, 4/19). "We can no longer rely on the Supreme Court to protect a woman's constitutional right to choose," Nadler said, adding that it is "time for Congress to stand up to the challenge" (Nadler release, 4/19). Boxer and Nadler both said it could be difficult to gain Democrats' support for the measure. Boxer, however, added that in a 2003 vote on the issue 52 senators, including eight Republicans, affirmed the principles of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that effectively barred state abortion bans (Schor, The Hill, 4/20).

Coverage on Effect of Court Ruling
Several newspapers published articles about the implications of the Supreme Court's ruling. Headlines appear below.

• "Validity of Future Legislative Limits on Abortion in U.S. Rests With Justice Anthony Kennedy" (Sherman, AP/Daily Report, 4/20).
  
  
• "Abortion Ruling May Leave Some Women Few Options" (Schmid, AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/20).
  
  
• "Bush Appointees Causing a 'Seismic Shift' on Bench" (Doyle, Miami Herald, 4/23).
  
  
• "Adjudging a Moral Harm to Women From Abortions" (Greenhouse, New York Times, 4/20).
  
  
• "Anger and Alternatives on Abortion" (Kolata, New York Times, 4/21).
  
  
• "The New 5-to-4 Supreme Court" (Liptak, New York Times, 4/22).
  
  
• "New Push Likely for Restrictions on Abortion" (Johnson, New York Times, 4/20).
  
  
• "Abortion Ruling Puts Candidates on the Spot" (Marinucci, San Francisco Chronicle, 4/22).
  
  
• "Roberts Court Moves Right, But With a Measured Step" (Barnes, Washington Post, 4/20).

Broadcast Coverage

• KCRW's "To the Point": The program on Monday is scheduled to include a discussion about the Supreme Court's ruling ("To the Point," KCRW, 4/23). Additional information about the segment is available online. Audio of recent broadcasts is available online.
  
  
• NPR's "Weekend Edition Saturday": The segment includes summaries of the majority and dissenting opinions (Totenberg, "Weekend Edition Saturday," NPR, 4/21). Audio of the segment is available online.
  
  
• NPR's "Weekend Edition Sunday": The segment includes a discussion with Mimi Wesson, legal commentator for "Weekend Edition," about potential clinical implications of the ruling (Hansen, "Weekend Edition Sunday," NPR, 4/22). Audio of the segment is available online.
  
  
• WBUR's "On Point": The program on Monday will include a discussion about rulings on abortion and other issues by the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts. Scheduled guests on the program include Jan Crawford Greenburg, legal affairs correspondent for ABC; Jeffrey Rosen, a professor at the George Washington University Law School; and Karen Tumulty, national political correspondent for Time ("On Point," WBUR, 4/23). Additional information about the segment is available online. Audio of recent broadcasts is available online.