The new Republican majorities in the 104th Congress conducted a coherent campaign to erode abortion rights Avoiding a hopeless attempt to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, congressional Republicans pressed numerous anti-abortion initiatives Analysis of the votes on those initiatives reveals a clear partisan pattern – a large majority of congressional Republicans are hostile to abortion rights while most congressional Democrats usually act to protect and even extend them. Therefore, the liberal versus conservative conflict which characterises the congressional parties on economic issues is also visible in the abortion issue.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
CassataD. (1995), ‘Veto Looms as Conferees Agree on B-2 Funds, Abortion Ban,’CQ, 23 Sept., p. 2926.
2.
CraigB. H.O'BrienD. M. (1993), Abortion and American Politics. Chatham, N.J.: Chatham House Publishers.
3.
Congressional Quarterly (1993), (abbreviated as CQ).
4.
Congressional Quarterly (1995).
5.
Congressional Quarterly (1996).
6.
DiamondS. (1995), ‘God Stuffs the Ballot Box’, The Nation 9 Oct., pp. 386, 388.
7.
DohertyC. (1996), ‘Family-Planning Compromise Helps Foreign Aid Pass,’CQ, 27 Jan., p. 227.
8.
EhrenreichB. (1987), ‘The New Right Attack on Social Welfare’, in BlockF.ClowardR.EhrenreichB.PivenF.The Mean Season. New York: Pantheon, pp. 161–95.
9.
FoleyM.OwensJ. (1996), Congress and the Presidency. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
10.
FralyC. (1995), ‘Senate Votes to Ban Procedure Despite Veto Threat’, CQ, 9 Dec., pp. 3738–9.
11.
GuthJ.GreenJ.SmidtC.KellstedtL. (1996), ‘Fresh Troops and Hardened Veterans’, in GinsbergB.StoneA. (eds), Do Elections Matter?3rd edition. Armonk, N.Y.: M. E. Sharpe, pp. 205–31.
12.
HagerG. (1996), ‘Congress, Clinton Yield Enough to Close Book on Fiscal ‘96,’CQ, 27 Apr., pp. 1155–7.
13.
IdelsonH. (1995), ‘Vote on Late-Term Abortions Signals Attack on Roe,’CQ, 4 Nov., pp. 3375, 3377–8.
14.
JaenickeD. (1995), ‘The 1994 Congressional Elections and Their Aftermath,’Manchester Papers in Politics.
15.
KatzJ. (1996), ‘Middle Ground for Labor Bill,’CQ, 27 Apr., p. 1161.
16.
KoszczukJ. (1995a), ‘Gingrich Puts More Power into Speaker's Hands’, CQ, 7 Oct., pp. 3049, 3052–3.
17.
KoszczukJ. (1995b), ‘Gingrich's Abortion Strategies’, CQ, 4 Nov., p. 3376.
NitschkeL. (1995b), ‘Congress Clears Stop Gap Bill,’CQ, 23 Dec., p. 3886.
20.
NitschkeL. (1996), ‘Despite Conference Agreement Vouchers Stall D.C. Bill Again,’CQ 3 Feb., p. 299.
21.
OwensJ. (1997), ‘The Return of Party Government in the US House of Representatives: Central Leadership-Committee Relations in the 104th Congress,’British Journal of Political Science27 (April): 353–78.
22.
PalmerE. A. (1996), ‘Late-Term Procedure Bill Heads to Clinton for Expected Veto,’CQ 30 March, pp. 885–6.
23.
TinA.GruenwaldJ. (1995), ‘ldquo;Contract with Family” Welcomed Cautiously by House GOP’, CQ, 20 May, pp. 1448–50.
24.
TowellP. (1995a), ‘Rebellious House Republicans Help Crush Defense Bill’, CQ, 30 Sept., p. 3013–16.
