Pro-Choice Leaders Condemn NDAA Amendment Rolling Back Abortion Protections for Servicemembers

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Pro-Choice Caucus co-chairs Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) and Diana DeGette (CO-01) issued the statement below in response to an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) offered by Rep. Ronny Jackson (TX-13), which would stop the Pentagon from paying or reimbursing expenses relating to abortion services.

“As leaders of the Pro-Choice Caucus, we are outraged at House Republicans’ attempt to force their extreme anti-abortion agenda onto America’s servicemembers in what should be a bipartisan bill.

“We all know the Dobbs decision last year stripped a fundamental right to abortion access from the American people, including for over half of active-duty female servicemembers. In response, the Department of Defense announced important changes to safeguard reproductive health care access. This amendment would revoke those changes and put abortion access even further out of reach for those servicemembers, in particular those stationed in abortion ban states.

“It’s a shame that House Republicans would use women to defend our nation on battlefields, but refuse to trust them to make their own healthcare decisions. Our servicemembers fight for our freedoms. As lawmakers, we should be working to protect their freedoms—not trying to take their rights away.

“The Pro-Choice Caucus, along with House Democrats, will not stop fighting to protect the freedom of every American, including servicemembers, to make their own healthcare decisions.”