Legislation protecting abortion rights favored by both 1st District candidates

PORTLAND — Democratic congressional candidate Thomas Andrews said Monday that Congress should act quickly on a proposed law that would stop states from restricting abortion rights, but Republican foe David Emery doubts that will happen.

Andrews, a state senator from Portland, and Emery, a former U.S. representative, both said they favor the so-called “Freedom of Choice Act,” now tied up in committee. The law would codify the elements of the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision in which the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion.

Andrews said the issue has become more urgent now that liberal Justice William Brennan, a supporter of abortion rights, has stepped down from the high court. Pro-choice advocates fear that President Bush might appoint a new justice who could give the high court a solid anti-abortion majority.

Andrews and Emery, who are seeking Maine’s 1st District seat, differed on the effectiveness of the proposed pro-choice law.

“The Freedom of Choice Act would allow Congress to settle this issue once and for all and to ensure that there is no retrenchment on the rights and liberties won in the Supreme Court during Justice Brennan’s tenure,” Andrews told a Portland news conference.

But Emery pointed out that a staunchly anti-abortion court could throw out all or part of the proposed law, depending on the type of legal challenge the law could face.

“It still doesn’t get around the possibility that the majority of the court could reach a different conclusion,” Emery said.

Emery also considered it unlikely that the present Congress will want to tackle such an emotional issue as the elections draw near. “I think Congress would feel that’s more of a bucking bronco than they would care to tackle,” Emery said.

Andrews said it would be inappropriate for members of Congress to be “waffling” on such an important issue as a woman’s right to control her body.