Expanding Abortion Care for U.S. Servicemembers and Veterans
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Date
2021-05
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Abstract
Abortion care is lifesaving medical care, with research showing that a lack of access can have negative maternal and child health outcomes, as well as long-term negative economic impacts. While abortion has been legal in the United States since the 1970s, millions of American servicemembers and veterans have limited access to care as a result of federal funding restrictions and facility bans. This memo proposes a two-part policy that would repeal all funding restrictions and authorize the use of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DOD) facilities for abortion care, with the goal of increasing abortion access for servicemembers and veterans. This would be measured by the number of women whose insurance covers abortion care and who are able to access abortion care within 50 miles. While the policy would be effective at accomplishing its goal, the politics of the issue will make passage difficult.
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abortion, Hyde, servicemembers, veterans