Fun_People Archive
10 Feb
Telecom and "Abortion" - an admission and a promise?

Date: Sat, 10 Feb 96 02:17:05 -0800
From: Peter Langston <psl>
To: Fun_People
Subject: Telecom and "Abortion" - an admission and a promise?

[Various people have questioned whether or not the Telecommunications Act of  
1996 really bans discussion of abortion.  Perhaps this tidbit will be of  
interest... -psl]

Forwarded-by: Lani Herrmann <lanih@info.sims.berkeley.edu>
Forwarded-by: Lisa Schiff <lschiff@info.sims.berkeley.edu>
From: Craig A. Johnson <caj@tdrs.com>

[...]
The government conceded yesterday during argument in the ACLU hearing
in the District Court in Philadelphia, that the abortion provisions
referred to above are unconstitutional.  The ACLU stated it will not
be satisfied until the government so stipulates in writing.

In Brooklyn, the U.S. Attorney also agreed that the DOJ would not
prosecute abortion-related information on the Net.  (Excerpt of press
release below.)

Craig
______________________________________________________
Women's Health Care Advocates Win Government Assurance
That Internet Abortion Gag Won't Be Enforced
______________________________________________________
For immediate release
February 8, 1996
Contact:  Andrea Miller
212-514-5534 ext. 250

Brooklyn, New York -- During arguments this morning in federal
district court, United States Attorney Zachary Carter acknowledged
the unconstitutionality of a provision in the minutes-old
Telecommunications Act of 1996 that would outlaw abortion
information on the Internet.

Appearing on behalf of the Justice Department before U.S. District
Court Chief Judge Charles P. Sifton of the Eastern District of New
York, Mr. Carter assured the court and plaintiffs in Sanger v. Reno
that the federal government would not enforce the little-noticed
section of the new law.  Women's health care providers and advocates,
represented by the Center for Reproductive Law and Policy, filed suit
yesterday in anticipation of President Clinton's signing of the
measure into law this morning -- with the Internet abortion
information gag taking effect immediately.
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