April 21, 2023

Ranking Member Takano, Subcommittee Ranking Member Brownley Statement on Senate's Vote to Protect Veterans' Access to Abortion Care

Press Contact

For Immediate Release   
April 21, 2023

Contact: 
Miguel R. Salazar (Takano)
Carina Armenta (Brownley)

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA) and Subcommittee on Health Ranking Member Julia Brownley (D-CA) issued the following joint statement about the Senate's vote earlier this week on S. J. Res. 10, a measure that would overturn the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) new policy on abortion care.

"We are pleased a bipartisan group of Senators acted to stop efforts to deny veterans access to reproductive healthcare at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Until the Biden-Harris Administration acted to ensure that women veterans could talk candidly with their providers about their healthcare, including abortion, VA providers worked under a gag rule. Veterans who are experiencing pregnancies that could harm their lives or health or are the result of rape or incest need access to care as much as any other veteran. To deny them that is cruel and dismissive of their service.

We stand with women veterans who face increased challenges in accessing care in hostile states and want VA to be a safe and welcoming place that provides the care these veterans need and have earned. We will continue to be vigilant against extreme Republican efforts to remove healthcare from veterans."

Additional Information: Since August 2022, Takano and Brownley have been leading an oversight initiative focusing on reproductive healthcare access for veterans. In November 2022, Takano released a Democratic staff report summarizing the early findings of this initiative and recommendations for VA leaders and policymakers. 
 
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