Students for Choice Push Petition Campaign

The Harvard-Radcliffe Students for Choice is helping undergraduates write to their senators, in the hope that Congress will overrule the "gag order" denying federal funding to abortion clinics.

Members of the organization are distributing pre-written letters in dining halls this week. The letters request that senators support the Chafee Bill, which would reinstate federal funding to clinics whose doctors mention abortion in their pregnancy counseling.

"We made 2000 copies of the letter and they are going very quickly," said Students for Choice co-director Jessica S. Yellin '93. "In the Union Wednesday night, we had just about 100 percent of the students signing, and in Kirkland House we had to go xerox extras."

The letters will be circulated until Saturday. Once compiled, they will be sent to senators for consideration before the bill goes to the House Commitee in about two weeks, organizers said.

In addition to the letters, co-director Julie D. Bornstein '92 said the group will hold a rally on October 3 in front of Widener Library. There, students, professors and guest speakers will share their comments on the abortion issue, Bornstein said.

After the rally, participants will travel on the subway to join other pro-choice groups in front of the State House, Bornstein said.