HISTORY OF ABORTION RIGHTS

ROE V. WADE

On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court for the first time in history legalized abortion nationwide, basing its decision on a woman's right to constitutional privacy. The vote was 7 to 2.

HYDE AMENDMENT

In 1977, this legislation cut off federal funding for abortions for low-income women. Rosie Jimenez is the first known victim of Hyde.

WEBSTER DECISION

In a 1989 series of Supreme Court votes on Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, the Court gave states unprecedented authority to restrict and/or virtually deny abortion -- just stopping short of reversing Roe v. Wade.

GAG RULE or TITLE X RULING

Under President George Bush, the U.S. government prohibited federally funded clinics from giving any information about abortion or referring women to other facilities for abortion services.

PARENTAL CONSENT

Deadly laws requiring women under 18 to get one or both parents' permission for an abortion. Becky Bell died as a result of Indiana's PL-106.

CASEY DECISION

This July 1992 decision let states restrict abortions even more by upholding 24-hour waiting periods and mandatory anti-abortion counseling for women seeking abortions.

BRAY DECISION

In January 1993, the Supreme Court stripped away federal civil rights protections that had been used to protect clinics across the country from fanatical anti-abortion blockades.

5 EXECUTIVE ORDERS

As one of his first official acts, President Clinton signed five orders on January 22, 1993 reversing the "gag" rule,"Mexico City Policy", bans on fetal tissue research, RU 486 research and abortion services in U.S. military hospitals.

FACE BILL

On May 12, 1994, President Clinton signed into law the first abortion rights legislation in history. The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act imposes severe fines, jail sentences and makes it a potential felony to block access to clinic entrances, intimidate or harrass clinic workers.

RU 486

On May 16, 1995, in response to years of letters and petitions generated by the Feminist Majority Foundation and other pro-choice groups, Roussel Uclaf turned over the patent for RU 486 (now known as mifepristone) to the Population Council of the U.S. On July 18, 1996 the FDA Committee on Reproductive Health recommended that the FDA fully approve RU 486 as a method of early abortion. The FDA issued an "approvable letter" on mifepristone in September 1996, with final approval expected in 1997. On April 8, 1997, remaining worldwide patent rights on mifepristone were turned over to Dr. Edouard Sakiz, former Roussel Uclaf CEO, who is committed to making the drug available to women and to expanding research on this medical breakthrough.

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