WASHINGTON, D.C. -- United States Senator Daniel K. Inouye today voted to sustain President Clinton's veto of H.R. 1122, a bill banning certain late-term abortions. His statement is set forth below:

"At this time, late term abortions (third trimester abortions) are only performed in medical emergencies, where the baby has severe abnormalities that would not allow it to survive for any length of time outside of the mother's womb, or in cases where the mother's health is at risk should she carry the baby to term.

If this bill became law, it would mark the first time the Congress has ever sought to dictate to doctors how to practice their profession. This measure would make it a federal crime for doctors to perform late-term abortions, known as partial birth abortions, unless it was needed to save the mother's life. The bill also does not clearly state exactly what medical procedures are banned and what are legal. This would lead to doctors becoming more reluctant to treat patients with difficult pregnancies because of both the risk of prosecution and the risk of civil suit.

In addition, this measure would also provide a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade. It would be the first time that a specific abortion procedure would be banned. The Supreme Court has consistently struck down cases in which specific procedures were banned on the state level, leaving that critical decision to be determined by the doctor."