<\/p>\n
The Department of Veterans Affairs can no longer provide abortions to veterans, including in cases of rape or incest, following a Department of Justice memo that found last week that the practice was not legally sound.<\/p>\n
The ban follows months of efforts by the Trump administration to roll back a Biden-era policy that, for the first time, permitted the VA <\/strong>to counsel veterans and their families about abortion, as well as offer the procedure in cases of rape or incest, or when a veteran\u2019s pregnancy imperiled their health. In August, the administration filed paperwork<\/a> to officially roll back the policy, which had helped the VA\u2019s network of 1,300-plus healthcare facilities \u2013 which treat nearly 10 million veterans each year \u2013 expand access to abortion, especially in the wake of the US supreme court\u2019s 2022 overturning of Roe v Wade.<\/p>\n That paperwork is still working its way through the lengthy rule-making process, a VA spokesperson confirmed.<\/p>\n \u201cDOJ\u2019s opinion states that VA is not legally authorized to provide abortions, and VA is complying with it immediately,\u201d Peter Kasperowicz, VA press secretary, said in an emailed statement. \u201cDOJ\u2019s opinion is consistent with VA\u2019s proposed rule.\u201d<\/p>\n Screenshots obtained by an advocacy group <\/strong>of what appears to be an internal VA memo, circulated among the heads of the VA\u2019s regional care networks on 22 December, indicate that the changes \u201cdo not prohibit providing care to pregnant women in life-threatening circumstances\u201d, including in cases of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or when \u201cthe veteran\u2019s clinician determines \u2026 the care necessary to save a veteran\u2019s life\u201d.<\/p>\n A VA spokesperson did not immediately respond to follow-up questions about the screenshot or veterans\u2019 ability to obtain abortions in medical emergencies.<\/p>\n \u201cDenying veterans essential health care and abortion access \u2013 even in cases of rape or serious health risk \u2013 after they have sacrificed so much for our country is callous and inhumane,\u201d Skye Perryman, president and CEO of the legal non-profit Democracy Forward, said in a statement. Democracy Forward obtained and published the screenshot of the memo<\/a>.<\/p>\n More than a dozen states have banned virtually all abortions<\/a> since the supreme court overturned Roe. As of 2024, more than half of female veterans live in states that ban abortion or are likely to, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families<\/a>.<\/p>\n