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ACLU and Planned Parenthood coordinate over 300 organizations to
PRESS RELEASE
April 3, 1989
The Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Ameri-
can Civil Liberties Union today announced the results of their
coordinated efforts to engage a broad range of national organiza-
tions in support of the right to legal abortion.
More than 300 organizations, including the National Educa-
tion Association, the American Medical Association, the Sierra
Club, the American Library Association and the AFL-CIO, have
joined one or more of 3l amicus curiae (friend of the court)
briefs sent to the Supreme Court in the Webster v. Reproductive
Health Services case. That case involves a challenge to a
Missouri state law that, as written, restricts the right to an
abortion in public health facilities, declares life begins at
conception, and seeks to prohibit the use of public funds for
abortion counseling.
The broad coalition of organizations has asked the high
court to reject the Missouri law on several constitutional
grounds. Planned Parenthood President Fay Wattleton said, "The
fact that so many major national organizations and prominent
individuals have decided to speak out in support of Roe v. Wade
should send a resounding message to the Supreme Court, the
President and the Congress: Mainstream America wants abortion to
remain safe and legal. They are here to say 'enough is enough.'
We will no longer stand by and allow women's lives to be used as
pawns in a political game."
Professor Norman Dorsen, National President of the ACLU and
coauthor of the brief in Roe v. Wade, noted that an affirmation
of the Missouri law would severely restrict the First Amendment
guarantee of free speech by limiting the rights of doctors and
other medical professionals to provide appropriate medical
information to their patients.
"We are impressed by the wide range of amici support and
the persuasive arguments these organizations bring to this most
important legal debate," Dorsen said. "While the court's deci-
sion represents the most serious threat since l973 to the right
for women to choose an abortion, the reaction from religious,
professional, medical and public service organizations, as well
as international groups and academia, demonstrates a strong
public sentiment to preserve the constitutional principles
established in the original Roe decision."
The joint ACLU-PPFA project to coordinate submission of
these briefs was supervised by attorney Kathryn Kolbert.
* * * * * *
For more information or copies of these briefs, contact:
Colleen O'Connor (2l2) 944-9800, Ext. 464 ACLU
Lisa Beattie (212) 944-9800, Ext. 456 ACLU
Kathleen Stack (2l2) 603-4660 PPFA
Bebe Bahnsen (202) 387-6556 PPFA
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