EXCLUSIVE: A coalition of pro-life teams is asking on Home Republicans to rescind the Division of Protection’s coverage permitting service members day without work and journey reimbursements for abortions by the annual Nationwide Protection Authorization Act.
In a letter obtained completely by Fox Information Digital, practically 50 assume tanks and activist organizations accused the Biden administration of politicizing the DoD by utilizing taxpayer cash to fund elective abortions for service members.
The letter, which was despatched to lawmakers on Thursday, requested Republicans on Capitol Hill to completely repeal the division’s “unlawful” coverage by the NDAA “to ensure that a ‘clear’ invoice to maneuver ahead.”
Organizations that signed the plea embody the Heritage Basis, Heritage Motion for America, College students for Life Motion, Susan B. Anthony Professional-Life America, Household Analysis Council and the American Cornerstone Institute.
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A coalition of pro-life teams is asking on Home Republicans to rescind the Division of Protection’s coverage to present service members day without work and journey reimbursement for elective abortions by the Nationwide Protection Authorization Act. (Getty)
“The Pentagon firmly entered the political house when it opted to vary coverage and begin granting paid trip and funding of journey bills for service members to acquire abortions,” Thomas Spoehr, Director on the Middle for Nationwide Protection on the Heritage Basis advised Fox Information Digital. “This regardless of longstanding legal guidelines prohibiting federal help for abortions. The NDAA, the place Congress gives the annual route for [the] DoD to function, is essentially the most acceptable car for Congress to direct the Pentagon to return to its earlier insurance policies on abortion.”
The letter was addressed to Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Calif.; Home Majority Chief Steve Scalise, La.; Home Majority Whip Tom Emmer, Minn.; Home Republican Convention Chair Elise Stefanik, N.Y.; Home Republican Coverage Committee Chair Gary Palmer, Ala.; Home Guidelines Committee Chair Tom Cole, Okla.; Home Armed Companies Committee Chair Mike Rogers, Ala.; and Home Appropriations Committee Chair Kay Granger, Texas.
Not one of the Home Republicans who obtained the letter responded to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark earlier than publication.
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The Home Armed Companies Committee handed the NDAA for Fiscal 12 months 2024 final month, and Home Republicans may take up the invoice as early as subsequent week. GOP lawmakers filed quite a few amendments final week that they hope to be included within the NDAA for 2024.
“Clear language defunding Biden’s abortion journey coverage has handed the Appropriations Committee within the Division of Protection Appropriations invoice, however the NDAA is the legislative car to reassert Congress’ authority over policymaking and be sure that our nation’s legal guidelines and insurance policies mirror the desire of the American folks,” the teams wrote within the letter. “Now that the Home Armed Companies Committee has handed the FY24 NDAA, it’s crucial that this coverage be totally repealed in any NDAA that passes on the Home ground.”
Practically 50 assume tanks, non-profits and activist organizations accuse the Biden administration of politicizing the Division of Protection to make use of U.S. taxpayer cash to fund abortions for service members. (AP Picture/Andrew Harnik)
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The Pentagon’s coverage permitting service members day without work for an elective abortion and reimbursing them for journey prices associated to the process was put in place final 12 months following the Supreme Courtroom’s determination to overturn Roe v. Wade, which gave states the authority to find out their very own abortion legal guidelines.
After the ruling, Biden affirmed his place that his administration was dedicated to defending entry to abortion.
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“After the Supreme Courtroom determination in Dobbs, President Biden declared his intent to additional his pro-abortion agenda by each means attainable,” the coalition wrote within the letter. “4 days after the choice, on June 28, 2022, Below Secretary of Protection for Personnel and Readiness, Gilbert Cisneros Jr. launched a memo detailing the division’s present authority on paying for abortions stating clearly that journey for non-covered abortions could be paid ‘on the service member’s personal expense.’”
The letter continued: “Nonetheless, continued strain from the Biden Administration’s Taskforce on Reproductive Healthcare Entry led the Division of Protection to rethink their stance to observe all relevant legal guidelines on performing and paying for abortions. An October 22, 2022, memo from Secretary Lloyd Austin outlined new insurance policies that use taxpayer funds to pay for day without work, lodging and journey for elective abortions, and these insurance policies have been made official on February 16, 2023.”
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Heritage Motion for America Appearing Govt Director Ryan Walker advised Fox Information Digital that Austin bypassed Congress and the federal rulemaking course of with the October memo.
“This not solely violated longstanding federal legislation prohibiting taxpayer funding for abortions, but it surely additionally closely politicized the historically bipartisan NDAA course of,” Walker mentioned. “Now, because the coalition factors out, the one manner Congress can guarantee a bipartisan NDAA strikes ahead is by rescinding this DOD coverage by amendments on the ground.”
The Pentagon’s coverage of giving service members day without work to obtain an abortion and to reimburse them for journey prices associated to the process was put in place final 12 months following the Supreme Courtroom’s determination to overturn Roe v. Wade. (AP Picture/J. Scott Applewhite)
Representatives now have their first alternative to reauthorize the DoD and its insurance policies because the determination went into impact.
Home Republicans have put ahead amendments within the NDAA invoice in help of rescinding this coverage and have additionally included provisions to close down the Biden administration’s “woke” insurance policies associated to gender and variety, fairness and inclusion.
The Pentagon has confronted criticism all through the Biden administration for pushing social points into the army that Republicans argue distract from battle preparedness.
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The teams started to wrap the letter up by saying People anticipate the army to “concentrate on successful precise wars, not combating tradition wars” and “the bulk (60%) don’t approve of utilizing taxpayer cash to fund abortions.”
“Reasonably than specializing in confronting the intense challenges going through our nation, President Biden and Secretary Austin have unnecessarily dragged the army into the center of a divisive political situation and tried to co-opt army assets in furtherance of an unrelated, partisan, ideological agenda,” the organizations concluded. “The Home of Representatives now has a chance to treatment these egregious actions and move a very clear NDAA.”