House Sustains Bush Abortion Bill Veto

WASHINGTON--President Bush's veto of a bill to provide abortion assistance to impoverished victims of rape and incest was sustained in the House yesterday as a 231-191 vote to override him fell 51 votes short of the necessary two-thirds margin.

Though narrow in scope, the bill carried symbolic importance in the widening political struggle over the abortion issue, and proponents took their loss with a vow to keep the president's feet to the fire. But Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) called it "a decisive victory for the pro-life movement."

"The president won a legislative victory today with use of a legislative minority," said Rep. Les AuCoin (D-Ore.). "He will put his party at tremendous risk in the next election, and some of his allies on the House floor will not be returned."

A Republican, Rep. Bill Green of New York, who supported the bill, said "President Bush may well have stumbled on the one issue that could cost him re-election."

The vote, in which 42 Republicans joined 189 Democrats in the unsuccessful bid to enact the bill over the president's veto, left intact an 8-year-old ban of federal financing of abortions for poor women, except when their lives are threatened.

"We're pleased," said White House spokesperson Marlin Fitzwater. "It shows strong support for the president's position."

The disputed provision would have permitted Medicaid abortions for women who are victims of rape or incest, and who "reported promptly" to authorities. It was part of a spending bill that now goes back to the House Appropriations Committee for revision.

Smith and other abortion opponents said the vote demonstrated they can overcome future efforts to weaken the prohibition on most Medicaid abortions, adding that it shows the political ground has not shifted in favor of abortion rights, as some political strategists argue.

"They made the mistake of thinking this was a one-round fight," said Rep. Vin Weber (R-Minn.).

"Some members who were panicked by pro-abortion propaganda in the last few weeks are going to be surprised, because the final tale hasn't been told on how this issue is cutting across the countryside," he said. "We're now beginning to see some victories on our side of the issue."

The House vote came two weeks after pro-choice lawmakers surpised even themselves by winning a 216-206 vote that added the amendment expanding Medicaid abortions to the appropriations bill for labor, health and education programs. It was the first time in nearly a decade that the more liberal language had passed the House, although it had easily cleared the Senate.

House Speaker Tom Foley (D-Wash.) said Democrats had not decided on their next move. House Democratic Whip Bill Gray (D-Pa.) said he did not think Democrats would attempt to add similar abortion language again to the same bill.

Leaders of the move to liberalize Medicaid abortions held out that possibility, however, and said in any event they would raise the issue repeatedly by attempting to add similar language to other bills.

"We will keep coming back," said Rep. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).