Washington in brief

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 5, 2000

New bills would curb use of abortion pills

WASHINGTON -- Abortion foes in Congress introduced bills Wednesday that would tighten standards for doctors administering the newly approved abortion pill RU-486.

Rep. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., joined by Sen. Tim Hutchinson, R-Ark., said the legislation is needed because the Food and Drug Administration, in setting rules for prescribing the drug, had "caved in" to abortion rights groups seeking easy access to abortion. The bill would allow prescriptions only by doctors trained to perform surgical abortions or stop excessive bleeding.

Kate Michelman, president of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, said the legislation would impose restrictions that would "in effect negate the ability of doctors to prescribe this option for women."

USING STATE LAWS: Anti-abortion advocates nationwide are now mobilizing to restrict the use of RU-486 through new state laws.

Legislative directors or heads of nearly two dozen anti-abortion groups in states that already have some of the nation's most restrictive abortion laws told the Washington Post this week that they were examining whether measures could be drawn specifically to include RU-486 in existing abortion laws. Those laws require parental consent and waiting periods for abortions, as well as prohibit public funding of abortions and abortion counseling by state employees.

Funding for women's cancer tests backed

Uninsured women who rely on the government for breast or cervical cancer screening could get federally funded treatment under a bill approved Wednesday by the Senate.

The Breast and Cervical Treatment Act, passed by a voice vote, gives states the option of providing Medicaid reimbursement.

The bill returns to House, which passed its version in May. Supporters hope for quick approval.

In a statement, President Clinton said he would be proud to sign the measure and gave credit to his wife, Hillary, the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate from New York.

Recipients of oil from strategic reserve picked

The Energy Department announced agreements Wednesday with 11 companies and brokers to take 30-million barrels of oil from the government's emergency reserve with deliveries to be completed by the end of November.

The 11 bidders, which included Burhany Energy Enterprises Inc. of Tallahassee, agreed to return a like amount of crude, plus a 1.56-million-barrel premium, late next year. No money was exchanged.

Also Wednesday

INTERNET VOUCHERS: A scientific advisory panel suggested that Congress consider a voucher program to help needy families get connected to the Internet. The group also proposed a flat tax for states to collect revenue from Web sales. The National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council urged lawmakers not to force the Internet to change the way it operates in an effort to address concerns such as pornography and gambling.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright