VA Reinstates Almost Total Ban on Abortion, Sparking Outrage from Democrats
TL/DR –
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has reinstated a near-total ban on abortions and abortion counseling, affecting thousands of veterans’ access to healthcare. This action reverses previous measures taken by the VA under the Biden administration to ensure veterans’ access to a range of reproductive healthcare. Members of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs have voiced their opposition to this move, calling on the Trump administration to reverse the decision and preserve veterans’ access to a full range of reproductive healthcare through the VA.
Department of Veterans Affairs Restricts Abortion Access
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has issued an internal memorandum reinstating a near-total ban on abortions and abortion counseling. This move potentially disrupts healthcare access for thousands of veterans, damaging veterans’ trust in the VA’s ability to serve their needs. In a questionable legal move, the VA issued this policy reversal following a Department of Justice legal opinion dated December 18, 2025.
Biden Administration’s Efforts Overturned
The Biden administration had acted immediately in the wake of the Dobbs decision to ensure veterans’ access to necessary healthcare. It had issued a rule providing veterans access to abortion care in instances of rape, incest, and threat to health and had also lifted a longstanding gag rule. This regulation was critical as veterans are more likely to experience high-risk pregnancies due to their service.
Trump Administration’s Reversal
However, the Trump administration threatened veterans’ reproductive freedom by proposing a rule to reinstate a near-total ban on abortions, with no exceptions for rape, incest, or threat to health. This decision puts veterans at a disadvantage, as they would have less access to abortion care than individuals covered by other federal healthcare programs.
Call for Action
Democratic members of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs have called on the Trump administration to reverse this decision and preserve veterans’ access to reproductive healthcare. Congresswoman Julia Brownley said this decision is driven more by politics than patient care. She has introduced the Reproductive Freedom for Veterans Act to ensure women veterans’ access to reproductive health services.
Several members of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs have voiced strong opposition to this rule, including Ranking Member Takano, Congressmen Morgan McGarvey, Chris Pappas, Tim Kennedy, Congresswomen Nikki Budzinski, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Kelly Morrison, M.D., and Maxine Dexter, M.D.
Issues: 119th Congress, Healthcare, Veterans’ Affairs
—
Read More Health & Wellness News ; US News