A Win for Military Women Moves Closer in the Senate

Imagine you’re a woman serving in the armed forces and you can’t access the medical care you need — even if you pay for it with your own money.

That’s what is happening to women in the military right now.

Federal law bans enlisted women serving overseas and other women who rely on military hospitals for their health care to access abortion — even if they pay for the service with their own money. The only case where the Department of Defense will pay for abortion services is when the woman's life is in danger. While women are able to access abortion care at military hospitals in cases of rape and incest, the woman must bear the cost of the procedure herself.

In late May, members of the Senate Armed Services Committee approved an amendment offered by Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) to repeal the law that forbids servicewomen and female military dependents from using their own money for abortion services at overseas military hospitals.

This is a huge – and important – step forward for women's freedom and privacy and I commended this committee vote, saying:

Women in the military should have access to the same quality care available to women in our country. Signing up to serve in the armed forces shouldn't cause women to lose health-care options if they're stationed overseas. We look forward to working with our allies in the Senate to protect this progress when the bill goes to the full Senate.

NARAL Pro-Choice America has long been a leader of this fight for equality on military bases. That’s because, according to the Pentagon, the number of reported sexual assaults in the military increased significantly over the past few years. The most recent data indicate that the trend may be leveling off. However, sexual assaults in the military remain a major cause for concern. This really underscores the need for women in the military to have access to a full range of reproductive-health services.

Now pay attention to this part right here: This repeal does not mean the Department of Defense (DoD) would have to pay for abortion services. It would simply lift the current ban on women using their own money to pay for abortion care at U.S. military facilities overseas.

This is a critical point to make, as it already has been reported incorrectly in the Washington Times. I took action and wrote a letter-to-the-editor in response:

…The article refers to our efforts to lift the ban on military women using private funds to pay for abortion care at overseas bases. Lifting this particular ban would not require taxpayers to fund abortion services. Women would pay directly for their care, as well as any additional hospital overhead costs.

Women defending our country should be able to access a legal medical service and pay for it themselves…

Local news editorial boards agree. This snippet came from The Roanoke Times:

Things are even worse for women stationed in combat zones or in nations where abortion is legal but off-base hospitals are primitive. They are denied access to a constitutionally protected medical procedure by accident of their assignment…Abortion remains a difficult, deeply personal decision. America trusts women to fight for their nation. It also should trust those who enlist and their families to make the right decision for their circumstances.

What are the next steps? Well, we’re just a few steps shy of ending the ban, but anti-choice politicians are digging in to keep it in place. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) even called on his anti-choice colleagues to prepare for a big fight.

We need to get emails to the Senate right away before our opponents can launch their attack on military women.

So, what can you do? Click on this easy action to urge your senators to support the DoD bill’s repeal of a provision that bans military women from paying for abortion services with their own money, as adopted by the Armed Services Committee.

Learn more from our fact sheet (it’s a PDF).

Photo credit: The U.S. Army