U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J) took the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision on Monday, Jan. 24, to issue a statement reaffirming his support for a woman's right to choose whether to give birth or to terminate her pregnancy with an abortion.

"Roe v. Wade was one of the most important decisions handed down by the Supreme Court giving every woman in the country the right to make private health decisions," he said. "As we mark the 32nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we must also recognize that the forces against a woman's right to choose have grown stronger, and it is critical we do all we can to see that these rights are protected.

"Right now," Lautenberg added, " President Bush and his Republican allies in Congress are determined to chip away at this fundamental right. I pledge to do all I can in the U.S. Senate to stop the extreme anti-choice forces and protect a woman's right to choose." 

 —Donald H. Harrison