Little Rock - Today, General Wes Clark expressed his support for yesterday's U.S. District Court for New Hampshire ruling striking down a law requiring parental notice before a minor could get an abortion. The law was overturned because it failed to provide an exception to protect the minor's health. It required that parents be notified at least 48 hours before medical care could be provided. Wes Clark strongly supported the New Hampshire Court's decision:

"Women's health should never be endangered by laws that prevent doctors from providing medically necessary care. I applaud the court for protecting the young women of New Hampshire.

I would hope that a young woman could talk with her family about medical decisions. But I recognize that, unfortunately, in some extreme cases, it is not possible for young women to have that conversation. That's why I believe that, in addition to providing exceptions for a woman's health, any law requiring parental notification must have an exception providing judicial bypass or notification of another responsible adult.

As the court rightly found, parental notice laws must also include an exception to protect young women's health, which must be our paramount concern. A woman's health should never be put in jeopardy for political reasons."