Senator Murray: “For the first time ever, the Veterans Health Administration will finally be able to provide abortion care to ensure none of our veterans or their eligible dependents will have to face medical emergencies—or stay pregnant after a rape or incest—simply because Republican politicians think they know what’s best for them.”
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and a senior member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, released the following statement on the Biden Administration taking action to allow the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to provide abortion care to veterans and their eligible dependents to protect the health and life of the mother and in cases of rape or incest.
The action comes after Senator Murray joined Senator Hirono and 23 Democratic colleagues in urging Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Denis McDonough to begin rulemaking to allow veterans and eligible dependents to receive abortions. Prior to the announcement, VA was prohibited from providing any abortion care or abortion counseling.
“Since the moment we first learned that the Supreme Court planned to rip away the right to abortion and overturn Roe, I have pushed the Biden Administration to do everything in their power to protect women’s rights and their health. Today, I’m grateful that Secretary McDonough and the Biden Administration are taking a landmark step to help address the health care crises that Republicans are causing across the country. For the first time ever, the Veterans Health Administration will finally be able to provide abortion care to ensure none of our veterans or their eligible dependents will have to face medical emergencies—or stay pregnant after a rape or incest—simply because Republican politicians think they know what’s best for them.
“It’s clear that despite Republicans’ hollow claims they don’t want to endanger women’s lives or health, their actions and their abortion bans have again and again put women at risk—and it’s Democrats who are pushing to protect women’s health. This action by the Biden Administration will make a real difference to veterans and their families—it’s a common-sense policy that will quite literally save lives. But we cannot stop here: I’ll keep fighting for abortion rights until everyone has full control over their own bodies, lives, and futures.”
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