Some Lawmakers Promise to Overturn Court Ruling : Congress: They vow to move quickly to pass legislation. The loss of millions of dollars in federal funds to family planning clinics is cited.

WASHINGTON —  Many members of Congress reacted with outrage Thursday to a Supreme Court ruling that upheld a ban on abortion advice by federally funded family planning clinics. Some lawmakers vowed to enact legislation swiftly that would overturn the ruling.

“The women in this country can no longer look to the U.S. Supreme Court to protect their fundamental rights,” said Sen. Alan Cranston (D-Calif.). “They can and should look to the Congress.”

Other lawmakers said that family planning agencies could lose millions of dollars of federal funds if they refuse to prevent doctors or others from informing pregnant women of abortion options.

Buoyed by Wednesday’s House victory in reversing a Pentagon ban to allow abortions for women in the service and dependents in overseas military hospitals, advocates of abortion rights predicted quick success in the newest battle.

President Bush, however, signaled that he will veto the defense measure unless its abortion provision is removed by Congress before the bill comes to his desk. He also hinted that he might reject legislation to overturn the high court’s latest ruling on abortion advice as well.

“I hope it (the abortion provision in the defense bill) will come out so we don’t need to veto it,” the President told reporters. “But . . . I’ve done it before and I would again. I haven’t changed my opinion.”

As a result, more emotional confrontations apparently loom between Congress and the White House over the divisive abortion issue.

The Congressional Caucus on Women’s Issues said Thursday that immediate action should be taken by Congress to abolish the so-called “gag rule” that prohibits doctors in clinics that receive U.S. funds from telling pregnant women about abortion as an option.

Sen. John H. Chafee (R-R. I.) said that he will seek early Senate approval of his bill to abolish the “unconscionable, discriminatory” regulations first issued by the Department of Health and Human Services in 1988.

Action on Chafee’s legislation by the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee was promised in early June by committee Chairman Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.).

In the House, Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles) also set an early June date for consideration of a similar bill by Rep. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and House approval is expected next month.

But there is certain to be a battle over such legislation. Douglas Johnson, legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee, said that he believes, even if such legislation permitting abortion counseling in clinics is passed, the margin would not be enough to sustain a presidential veto.

Phyllis Schlafly of the conservative Eagle Forum declared: “We must stop any possible future legislation in Congress which would make abortion the same as birth control.”

Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) was pleased with the decision. “I am not claiming that it’s the major decision the pro-abortion forces say it is but I think it’s on the high edge of a powerful medium decision,” he said. “I do like seeing Planned Parenthood take a heavy hit because they are as political a group as there is in the United States and they are the main perpetrators of the lie that Roe vs. Wade only legalized abortion in the first three months. The legal fact is that Roe legalized abortion for the entire nine months period for any reason whatsoever.”

Rep. Patricia Schroeder (D-Colo.) and Rep. Olympia J. Snowe (R-Me.), who jointly chair the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues, said that the Supreme Court ruling deals women “a devastating blow” that must be reversed.

“Not only are women’s lives endangered . . . but the entire family planning program in this country could well be undermined,” they said in urging action within the next 30 days to overturn the controversial rule. “It is ironic that this misguided attempt to prevent poor women from having abortions will end up resulting in an increase in the number of abortions because of unwanted pregnancies.”

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) added: “This regulation (upheld by the Supreme Court) creates second-class citizens of those women who rely on health clinics rather than private physicians for their health care.”

Staff writer Don Shannon contributed to this story.