Reproductive Legislation in America:
H.R. 1122--Abortion Procedure Bans and the
Stenberg v. Carhart Supreme Court Decision
by Elaine A. Goodrich
for Social Work T6910: Health Care Issues, Policies, and Programs
Columbia Universtiy School of Social Work

The Legislation of H.R.1122

*The History of Abortion Procedure Ban Legislation


*The Stenberg V. Carhart Supreme Court Decision 

*Key Factors: 
The Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Movements 

*Unintended Consequences 
 

*Evaluation of H.R.1122 and the Stenberg v. Carhart Decision 

*References and Related Links

*CUSSW
There seems to be no other current medical and civil rights issue 
that brings upsuch passion and polarization in the citizens across
our nation other than the right of a fetus versus
the right of the woman carrying it.



 It is the issue of abortion, defined as “the intentional termination of a pregnancy…because it is either unwanted or presents a risk to a woman’s health,” (Encarta Encyclopedia).  Although abortion was made legal in the United States in 1973 with the Roe v. Wade landmark decision, conservative, Pro-Life supporters have attempted to place limits on the types of abortion procedures allowable, particularly in the controversial second and third trimesters of pregnancy, namely the “D & X”, or “Dilation and Extraction” medical procedure, which politicians have termed “partial birth abortion”.

This site describes the introduction of The "Partial-Birth" Abortion Ban Act of 1997 (H.R.1122), into federal legislation and addresses how the procedure bans have been implemented and challenged in the state legislature.  The landmark Supreme Court case of Nebraska's Stenberg v. Carhart is discussed; which declared Nebraska's partial-birth abortion ban unconstitutional, and the consequences of the decision, both intended and unintended, are evaluated.
 

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