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Cynthia McKinney on Abortion
Green Party nominee for President (Former Rep., D, GA-4)
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Consistent supporter of reproductive rights
Q: Briefly state your position on the following issue: Women’s Health / Reproductive Rights. A: In 1999, I supported funding contraception and UN family planning. I voted NO to oppose banning partial-birth abortions. In 2001, I voted NO on banning
Family Planning funding in US aid abroad and NO on a new federal crime for harming a fetus while committing other crimes. In 2005, I voted NO on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions.
Source: Green Party 2008 Presidential Candidate Questionnaire
Feb 3, 2008
Supports human embryonic stem cell research
Q: Briefly state your position on the following issue: Stem Cell Research.
A: In May 2005 I voted to support human embryonic stem cell research.
Source: Green Party 2008 Presidential Candidate Questionnaire
Feb 3, 2008
Voted YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research.
To provide for human embryonic stem cell research. A YES vote would:- Call for stem cells to be taken from human embryos that were donated from in vitro fertilization clinics
- Require that before the embryos are donated, that it be established that they were created for fertility treatment and in excess of clinical need and otherwise would be discarded
- Stipulate that those donating the embryos give written consent and do not receive any compensation for the donation.
Reference: Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act;
Bill HR 810
; vote number 2005-204
on May 24, 2005
Voted NO on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions.
To prevent the transportation of minors in circumvention of certain laws relating to abortion, and for other purposes, including: - Allowing for exemptions to the law if the life of the minor is in danger or if a court in the minor's home state waive the parental notification required by that state
- Allocating fines and/or up to one year imprisonment of those convicted of transporting a minor over state lines to have an abortion
- Penalizing doctors who knowingly perform an abortion procedure without obtaining reasonable proof that the notification provisions of the minor's home state have been satisfied
- Requiring abortion providers in states that do not have parental consent laws and who would be performing the procedure on a minor that resides in another state, to give at least a 24 hour notice to the parent or legal guardian
- Specifying that neither the minor nor her guardians may be prosecuted or sued for a violation of this act
Reference: Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act;
Bill HR 748
; vote number 2005-144
on Apr 27, 2005
Voted NO on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad.
Vote to adopt an amendment that would remove language reversing President Bush's restrictions on funding to family planning groups that provide abortion services, counseling or advocacy.
Reference: Amendment sponsored by Hyde, R-IL;
Bill HR 1646
; vote number 2001-115
on May 16, 2001
Voted NO on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes.
Vote to pass a bill that would make it a federal crime to harm a fetus while committing any of 68 federal offenses or a crime under military law. Abortion doctors and women whose own actions harmed their fetuses would be exempt.
Reference: Bill sponsored by Graham, R-SC;
Bill HR 503
; vote number 2001-89
on Apr 26, 2001
Voted NO on banning partial-birth abortions.
HR 3660 would ban doctors from performing the abortion procedure called "dilation and extraction" [also known as “partial-birth” abortion]. The measure would allow the procedure only if the life of the woman is at risk.
Reference: Bill sponsored by Canady, R-FL;
Bill HR 3660
; vote number 2000-104
on Apr 5, 2000
Voted NO on barring transporting minors to get an abortion.
The Child Custody Protection Act makes it a federal crime to transport a minor across state lines for the purpose of obtaining an abortion.
Reference: Bill sponsored by Ros-Lehtinen, R-FL;
Bill HR 1218
; vote number 1999-261
on Jun 30, 1999
Endorsed Recommended by EMILY's List of pro-choice women.
McKinney is endorsed by EMILY's list, a pro-choice PAC:
EMILY’s List operates as a donor network, recommending pro-choice Democratic women candidates to its members, who contribute directly to the candidates they choose. In the 1999-2000 election cycle, EMILY’s List members contributed $9.3 million to pro-choice Democratic women candidates. In its 16-year history, EMILY’s List has helped to elect four women governors, eleven women to the United States Senate and 53 women to the U.S. House of Representatives. “Women continue to be the power players in Democratic politics,” said Ellen R. Malcolm, president of EMILY's List. “In 2002, redistricting could result in as many as 75 open seats, creating multiple opportunities to recruit and elect pro-choice Democratic women.”
Source: Press Release on Diane Watson (CA-32) victory 01-EL1 on Apr 11, 2001
Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance.
McKinney scores 0% by the NRLC on abortion issues
OnTheIssues.org interprets the 2006 NRLC scores as follows:
- 0% - 15%: pro-choice stance (approx. 174 members)
- 16%- 84%: mixed record on abortion (approx. 101 members)
- 85%-100%: pro-life stance (approx. 190 members)
About the NRLC (from their website, www.nrlc.org): The ultimate goal of the National Right to Life Committee is to restore legal protection to innocent human life. The primary interest of the National Right to Life Committee and its members has been the abortion controversy; however, it is also concerned with related matters of medical ethics which relate to the right to life issues of euthanasia and infanticide. The Committee does not have a position on issues such as contraception, sex education, capital punishment, and national defense.
The National Right to Life Committee was founded in 1973 in response to the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision, legalizing the practice of human abortion in all 50 states, throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy.
The NRLC has been instrumental in achieving a number of legislative reforms at the national level, including a ban on non-therapeutic experimentation of unborn and newborn babies, a federal conscience clause guaranteeing medical personnel the right to refuse to participate in abortion procedures, and various amendments to appropriations bills which prohibit (or limit) the use of federal funds to subsidize or promote abortions in the United States and overseas.
In addition to maintaining a lobbying presence at the federal level, NRLC serves as a clearinghouse of information for its state affiliates and local chapters, its individual members, the press, and the public.
Source: NRLC website 06n-NRLC on Dec 31, 2006
Protect the reproductive rights of women.
McKinney co-sponsored protecting the reproductive rights of women
- Provides that a State may not restrict the right of a woman to choose to terminate a pregnancy:
- before fetal viability; or
- at any time, if such termination is necessary to protect the life or health of the woman.
- Allows a State to impose requirements medically necessary to protect the life or health of such women.
- Declares that this Act shall not be construed to prevent a State from:
- requiring minors to involve responsible adults before terminating a pregnancy; and
- protecting individuals from having to participate in abortions to which they are conscientiously opposed.
Source: Freedom of Choice Act (H.R.25) 1993-H25 on Jan 5, 1993
Supported funding contraception and UN family planning.
McKinney adopted the Women's Caucus policy agenda:
The teams of the Women’s Caucus are charged with advancing action on their designated issues in a bipartisan manner. Legislation from Team 3A: SAFE MOTHERHOOD: - HR 2120—Equity in Prescription Insurance & Contraceptive Coverage Act—A bill to require health insurance plans which cover prescription drugs and devices also cover prescription contraceptive drugs and devices. (Greenwood/Lowey)
- HR 895—United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Funding Act of 1999—A bill to restore a United States voluntary contribution to the United Nations. Cuts and spending restrictions on our international family planning programs in recent years have put a number of U.S.-supported programs in jeopardy; there have also been a number of reports indicating that the resulting denial of family planning services has led to an increase in the number of abortions. (Maloney/Porter/Kelly/Lowey/Gilman) STATUS: passed House and Senate as part of the FY2000 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill
Source: Women's Caucus Agenda-106th Congress 99-WC4 on Jul 15, 1999
Page last updated: Mar 08, 2011