We are also very delighted about Mr. Rockefeller's personal record on equal employment. Dr. Connie Toote, who is now the assistant secretary was formerly a Rockefeller employee. Eleanor Guffenheimer, who is on the board of Women's Lobby and now with the Consumer Affairs Commission in New York City, worked with the Governor on day care and there is a long record of distinguished women who have worked long and hard for equal pay in various enterprises. In the record if I may, I would like to put in the National Abortion Rights Action League survey of congressional districts done by Congressmen and Senators themselves that show the majority of the constituents who answer the polls of Congressmen support the Supreme Court. I would also like to put in a survey of the National Catholic Reporter done by Catholics themselves, a survey in Catholic churches that showed more than 65 percent of Catholics support the Supreme Court decision and then a booklet, the statistical data about legal abortion since 1973 and also a statement of every major Protestant-Jewish denomination in the country which shows their support for the quality and not the quantity of life and the option of choice for women. Thank you very much. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much. Those documents that you have offered will be made a part of the record and we appreciate having you here today. [The written statement, with attachments thereto, of Ms. Burris follows:] STATEMENT OF MS. CAROL BURRIS, PRESIDENT, WOMEN'S LOBBY, INC., WASHINGTON, D.C. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, it is a pleasure to appear before you today. Women's Lobby wants to endorse the nomination of Nelson Rockefeller as Vice-President. We are aware of his long and distinguished record of public service and we are very pleased with his performance as Governor of New York. As a women's rights organization. we are very pleased with his veto of the abortion bill that would have repealed New York's liberal abortion law. As an addendum to our testimony, we have included a booklet, "Legal Abortion in the United States" that gives a statistical breakdown of the improvement in health care under this law. Maternal and infant mortality declined, the number of deaths from septic abortions declined, and the cost of abortions plummeted. This country is not a leader in maternal and infant care. In fact, we rank lower than all other industrial nations. When abortion is safe and legal, however, the high risk mother: the pregnant teenager, and the older woman, tend to have abortions and improve the statistical picture for the entire population. When abortion is legal, it becomes available for the poor who must rely on state aid for medical services. We feel that the broad discussion about the finances of the designee have failed to note his concern for these women who could not afford the abortion services that have always been available to the women in his socioeconomic group. Coupled with the concern he showed for fiscal responsibility, the broad program of family planning and abortion services available under Medicaid began to reduce the welfare rolls for the first time. We are also enthusiastic about Mr. Rockefeller's record of hiring and promoting women within state government and within his own staff. Elinor Guggenheimer. who is a member of the Lobby Board of Sponsors worked with him on child care problems. Dr. Connie Toote, now Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for Equal Opportunity worked with him in New York State. These women and others speak highly of his efforts to provide equal opportunity and professional jobs at professional salaries. We would like to have included in the record a number of statements of church groups and a number of polls on the subject of abortion. We feel this is more representative of the general feeling on this subject than some of the Washington based groups that speak so shrilly on this subject. After his courageous veto of the repeal bill in New York, Mr. Rockefeller campaigned again for re-election. He won by a huge majority. Given the pressure put on Congress at this time to enact crippling legislation in the face of the landmark Supreme Court decision on abortion, it is important to note that the compulsory pregnancy crowd is a paper tiger. They do not turn out people at the voting booth, because they are not the voice of a majority. In the best of all worlds, women would be considered for the second highest office in the land. Sexism makes that impossible at this time. Nelson Rockefeller is a very good choice for vice president because he has concerned himself with the problems of the silent majority-women. We urge his confirmation. LEGAL ABORTION IN THE UNITED STATES: FACTS AND HIGHLIGHTS 1. The Procedure: When, How, Where Most abortions occur in first third of pregnancy Between July 1, 1970 and June 30, 1971, 66 institutions in 5 states participated in The Joint Program for the Study of Abortion (JPSA). Of 72, 988 abortions reported, three-fourths took place during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Less than 3 percent took place after the 20th week of pregnancy. (Source: "Abortion Surveillance Report December, 1972). Legal Abortions, U.S." DHEW, Percent Induced Abortions Occuring During First 12 Weeks, 79%3 2 Source: 1. "Legal Abortion in Washington State", January, 1973 Experience suggests that the proportion of patients seeking abortions early in pregnancy increases after legal abortion has been in effect for a while -presumably, after the backlog of requests for abortion has been accomodated, as more services become available, and as people become better educated to seek abortion early. Thus, the proportion of early abortions among New York City residents increased significantly during the second year of the state's liberalized law: |