In another move to erase all Biden-era policies, the Trump administration secretly banned the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from issuing abortions and all related services to veterans and their dependents — including those who are victims of rape and incest, The Hill reports.
The OLC argued that the rule, as a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, dissolving Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, overstepped the law.
Craddock called the language “unambiguous,” according to Fox News, after highlighting the Veterans Health Care Act, which makes clear that the VA is restricted to providing abortion services only if the pregnancy carries risks. He highlighted a footnote reading: “life-threatening circumstances, including treatment for ectopic pregnancies or miscarriages.” Veterans Affairs Press Secretary Peter Kasperowicz says the VA is complying immediately.
As Craddock may feel the exceptions are helpful, feminist and politics expert Jessica Valenti says expectations “are deliberately crafted to be impossible to use” and used only “to make Republicans seem a little less punishing.”
President and CEO at the Center for Reproductive Rights, Nancy Northup, feels the ban is just another way of President Donald Trump failing to keep his promises. “Veterans risked their lives to defend our safety and freedom–– and now the Trump Administration is taking away theirs,” Northup said. “President Trump said he would leave abortion to the states, but he continues to seize new opportunities to restrict it nationally.”
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Source: Black Enterprise
