The House of Representatives again voted to override President Clinton's veto of a bill that would outlaw partial-birth abortions. 

Representatives Richard Neal of Springfield and J. Joseph Moakley of South Boston were the only members of the Massachusetts delegation who voted to override.  Representative Edward J. Markey of Malden was one of eight House members who did not vote, but had previously voted to sustain the presidential veto. 

The brief debate in the House was dominated by references to "Baby Phoenix," an Arizona baby who survived a late-term abortion after the abortionist realized that she was in her ninth month of gestation. 
Many states have passed similar laws prohibiting partial-birth abortions, although judges have struck many of them down as too broad. 

At present, abortion is permitted up to the moment of complete delivery. In a partial-birth abortion, the abortionist delivers a child in the breech position until only the child's head remains unborn, then inserts scissors into the baby's skull, suctions the child's brains out, collapses the skull, and delivers a dead child. 

States are permitted to prohibit abortion in the third trimester, but not if pregnancy is regarded as a threat to a woman's health, including psychological well-being.  This exception is so broad as to amount to abortion-on-demand. 

Thus, although Massachusetts law prohibits abortions after twenty-three weeks, the state "unconstitutionally prohibits some post-viability abortions that are necessary to preserve the woman's health," according to the National Abortion Rights Action League. 

The House override was a foregone conclusion, but most observers expect a close vote in the Senate, which fell three votes short of  an overide last year. 

You can read a copy of the debate from the Congressional Record, 
or go to the House of Representatives index. 

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