purports the Department of Defense pays for troops' abortions
After the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization landed last year, ending the federal right to an abortion, the Biden administration issued new rules to assist service members and military dependents who had to travel across state lines for abortion services. However, House members voted 221-213 Thursday night to pass an amendment eliminating these abortion provisions from the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the annual defense spending bill. It was part of a hotly contested debate over the bill, which ultimately passed Friday along partisan lines, 219 to 210. The amendment, introduced by Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas, prohibits the Defense Department from paying or reimbursing expenses related to abortion services. Jackson argued that the Biden administration’s move to pay for service members’ out-of-state travel expenses related to abortion care was a violation of federal law that restricts the department from funding abortions.