Democrats Want to Force Taxpayers to Fund Abortions for Military Veterans

National   |   Micaiah Bilger   |   Jul 1, 2020   |   3:36PM   |   Washington, DC

Democrats in Congress have been pushing for years to force taxpayers to fund abortions for military members and veterans.

During a hearing Tuesday in the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, they debated another bill, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley of California, to allow the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to start doing elective abortions with taxpayer dollars, according to the military news site Stars and Stripes.

Pro-abortion Democrats claimed a 30-year-old law prohibiting abortions in the VA is a “harsh” inequality for female military veterans.

“I call on [VA Secretary Robert] Wilkie to prioritize reproductive care and expand medical care to include abortion and abortion counseling,” Brownley said.

The VA does not abort unborn babies in elective abortions, and abortions are excluded from the VA health benefits package. Under a 1992 law, elective abortions are not considered part of “general reproductive health care” for veterans.

Brownley compared the situation to the Louisiana abortion law that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Monday for allegedly creating an “undue burden” on women’s access to abortion, according to the report. She said the ruling “highlighted how denying veterans health care within a system they rely on imposes prohibitive, geographic and financial barriers on women.”

But House Republicans opposed the pro-abortion bill, noting how it would expand the killing of unborn babies in abortions, the report continued.

“I will oppose any effort the VA has to expand abortion,” said U.S. Rep. Phil Roe of Tennessee. “I want to make that part of the record right now. I will oppose that with every effort in my body. I think we need to change hearts and minds. Life is a precious gift from God.”

Brownley’s bill likely will be another unsuccessful attempt by Democrats to expand abortions in the military. Republicans control the U.S. Senate and White House, and they almost certainly would reject it if it passes the U.S. House.

The issue of abortions at military base medical centers and VA hospitals has been around for decades. Former President Bill Clinton did allow abortions in military facilities from 1993 to 1996, but military physicians, nurses and other medical workers refused to perform or assist in elective abortions. In response, the Clinton administration attempted to hire civilians to do abortions.

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Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden also voted repeatedly to require that military service members’ abortions be covered by taxpayer dollars.

Current law in effect since 1996 prohibits the performance of abortion by Department of Defense medical personnel or at DOD medical facilities. A separate provision prohibits the use of DOD funds for abortion except to save the life of the mother.

Leading pro-life organizations, including National Right to Life, the Susan B. Anthony List, Americans United for Life and the Christian Medical Association, have been working on the issue for years, supporting efforts to keep abortions out of the military and protect unborn babies’ lives.