May 19, 1997

The Honorable Rick Santorum
United States Senate
120 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Santorum:

The American Medical Association (AMA) is writing to support
HR 1122, "The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 1997," as
amended. Although our general policy is to oppose legislation
criminalizing medical practice or procedure, the AMA has sup-
ported such legislation where the procedure was narrowly defined
and not medically indicated. HR 1122 now meets both those tests.

Our support of this legislation is based on three specific
principles. First, the bill would allow a legitimate exception
where the life of the mother was endangered, thereby preserving
the physician's judgment to take any medically necessary steps
to save the life of the mother. Second, the bill would clearly
define the prohibited procedure so that it is clear on the face
of the legislation what act is to be banned. Finally, the bill
would give any accused physician the right to have his or her
conduct reviewed by the State Medical Board before a criminal
trial commenced. In this manner, the bill would provide a formal

role for valuable medical peer determination in any enforcement

proceeding.

The AMA believes that with these changes, physicians will be on
notice as to the exact nature of the prohibited conduct.

Thank you for the opportunity to work with you towards

restricting

a procedure we all agree is not good medicine.

Sincerely,


P. John Seward, MD
Executive Vice President
American Medical Association

-
Larry
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