Current Law:

The Department of Defense currently does not permit abortions to be performed by medical personnel or in medical facilities except when the life of the mother is at stake (DOD funds may be used) or when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest (private funds must be used).

Possible Amendment:

“Military Access to Reproductive Care and Health for Military Women Act”

This would make taxpayer dollars available to pay for abortions in the case of rape and incest and also strikes Section 1093(b) of Title 10 in its entirety, thus permitting the performance of abortions in both domestic and overseas military facilities. Therefore, the bill not only makes taxpayers pay for rape abortions, it also provides elective abortions to be performed on all military bases.

Why This Is Not Necessary:

Military treatment centers should not be forced to facilitate the taking of the most innocent human life, the unborn child.

By permitting abortions in military installations here and abroad, every military facility becomes an abortion clinic.  This includes 59 military hospitals and 364 medical clinics worldwide.

Abortion services are already available, and there is no demonstrated need for expanding abortion access.  Pregnant women are currently able to travel off base as well as to another country on a military flight on a “space available” basis.  In addition, overseas military hospitals already offer self-funded abortions when the life of the mother is in danger or the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

DOD policy requires that military doctors obey the abortion laws of the country where they are providing the services.  If the country does not permit abortions, then the amendment offered will still not allow doctors to perform abortions in those countries where it is not permitted.  If the country does allow abortions, then a pregnant woman could go off base for the abortion if she chooses, thereby making it unnecessary to provide abortions through the military facility.

If this amendment is passed, American taxpayers would be forced to pay for the use of military facilities, and additional equipment and personnel to perform abortions. In addition, when President Clinton lifted the military abortion ban, there were not enough medical personnel to perform these abortions because the military doctors and military health providers refused to provide these services.  The military was forced to hire civilians to perform these abortions.