Partial-birth abortion bill passes

WASHINGTON -- Anti-abortion forces in the House once again pushed through a ban on a specific abortion procedure despite past legislative failures, court challenges and an uncertain future in the Senate.

The bill to ban what opponents call partial-birth abortion, taken up on an almost annual basis since Republicans gained control of the House in 1995, passed 274-151.

President Clinton vetoed the legislation twice, in 1996 and 1997, but this time supporters of the ban have the president on their side. The White House said in a statement it strongly supports the bill, saying it is "morally imperative and constitutionally permissible to prohibit this very abhorrent form of abortion."

First, though, it must be considered by the Democratic-controlled Senate, and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said he didn't know if that would happen before this session of Congress ends.