Senate Votes to Ease Abortion Restrictions

WASHINGTON--The Senate sent President Bush yesterday a bill permitting federally financed abortions for poor women who are victims of rape or incest, ignoring the president's pledge to veto the measure.

The bill, which has assumed symbolic importance in the larger political war over the abortion issue, would ease an eight-year-old restriction on circumstances in which Medicaid will pay for a poor woman's abortion.

The Senate's 67-31 vote provided final congressional passage of a spending bill including the key provision on abortion, which the House approved in a surprise vote last week. The Senate previously had approved broadening federal funding for abortions, and its last vote was needed to send the bill to the White House.

The measure would allow federal money to be spent on abortions for poor women who are victims of rape or incest and who "reported promptly" to law enforcement or public health authorities.

Although the measure has become the object of intense effort by both sides of the abortion issue, there was little Senate discussion of abortion as it came to the floor.

Sen. Brock Adams, (D-Wash.), said Bush's promise of a veto was "unconscionable" and would "cause enormous additional suffering" for poor victims of rape or incest.

"The president has told us he will veto this bill because he won't accept language that allows poor rape and incest victims access to abortions," he said. "I'm sorry the president of the United States, the most powerful man in the world, has chosen to veto this bill...and thereby cause enormous additional suffering for some of the world's most unfortunate and powerless victims."

Medicaid restrictions in the law since 1981 permit federal money for abortions only in cases where the life of the mother is endangered by her pregnancy. Medicaid financing for poor women's abortions has been restricted in one way or another since 1977.

The abortion provision is part of a $156.7 billion measure to finance labor, health and education programs for fiscal 1990, which began October 1.

Bush last week said he was looking for "room for flexibility" on the issue and did not wish "conflict" on abortion--an issue that has been troublesome for him throughout his political career. But this week he hardened his stand and promised the veto.