May 13, 1972: New York Republican Governor Nelson Rockefeller vetoes the Legislature’s attempt to repeal the state’s liberalized abortion laws of 1970.

May 20, 1974: The pro-choice Women’s Lobby files a federal suit against the U.S. Catholic Conference, charging that the Catholic organization is violating its tax-exempt status through its national campaign to reinstate legal protections for preborn children.  The suit is dismissed.  The judge finds that the Lobby failed to establish that the primary purpose of the Catholic Conference is to influence legislation.

May 24, 1977: The U.S. Senate defeats a resolution calling for a constitutional convention to create a specific recognition of a preborn child’s right to life.

May 18, 1978: Italy legalizes all abortions during the First Trimester.

May 18, 1981: Italian voters reject a referendum designed to repeal the nation’s liberalized abortion law.

May 11, 1983: Catholic Sister Agnes Mary Mansour, director of Michigan’s welfare agency responsible for funding abortions, renounces her religious vows – rather than risk expulsion by the Vatican.

May 2, 2003: The Joint Finance & Appropriations Committee of the Idaho Legislature defeated a motion to keep Title X money away from Planned Parenthood of Idaho.  The motion, made Senators Brent Hill and Mel Richardson, was defeated on a 10-10 vote.  All four committee Democrats voted to protect Planned Parenthood’s money, as well as 6 Republicans.