Blumenthal Statement on CRA Vote to Overturn Trump VA's Abortion Ban

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today released the following statement on a failed vote to strike down the Trump Administration's abortion ban at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which prohibits abortion counseling and care for more than 462,000 women veterans of reproductive age-even in cases of rape, incest, or if a veteran's health is endangered.

"Republicans just voted to uphold an abortion ban for 462,000 women veterans-even in cases of rape, incest, or if their health is endangered. Shamefully, they are denying women veterans who have been raped or whose health is at risk the essential health care they need. Today, Republicans showed America they believe in abortion bans-and make no mistake, veterans will suffer as a result."

50 Senate Republicans voted to strike down Blumenthal's Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution, which aimed to overturn the Trump Administration's policy ending abortion counseling entirely and abortion care for veterans who have been raped or whose pregnancy is threatening their health. The vote failed 48-50.

Ahead of the CRA vote, Blumenthal took to the Senate floor to underscore the danger of the Trump Administration's policy for hundreds of thousands of women veterans. He emphasized the harm of this policy by sharing real-life stories of veterans who have experienced life-endangering complications from pregnancy and sexual assault. A video of Blumenthal's floor remarks are available here.

Blumenthal's CRA follows a final rule filed by the Trump VA to end VA's ability to provide these services for veterans. A CRA resolution is an oversight tool Congress can use to overturn final rules issued by federal agencies with a simple majority vote.

In September 2022, VA began to offer abortion counseling to all pregnant veterans and CHAMPVA beneficiaries, and abortion care in cases of rape, incest, or life or health endangerment of the veteran or CHAMPVA beneficiary. This was in response to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling, which created urgent risks to the lives and health of pregnant veterans and CHAMPVA beneficiaries in states that banned or otherwise severely restricted access to abortion.

More than 462,000 women veterans of reproductive age are enrolled in VA health care, and more than 112,000 women of reproductive age are enrolled in CHAMPVA. More than half of these women live in states that have enacted abortion bans or restrictions.