WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee (SVAC) Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and 11 colleagues, including the rest of the SVAC Democratic senators, in introducing a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn the Trump Administration's new rule ending abortion counseling entirely and abortion care for veterans who have been raped or whose pregnancy is threatening their health.

"Our veterans shouldn't have to face barriers to accessing the reproductive health care they need, especially in instances of rape or when their pregnancy put their health at risk," said Senator Hirono. "As Trump and Republicans continue to attack these fundamental rights, I am proud to stand with my colleagues and introduce this CRA resolution to fight back against this administration. I will continue doing everything in my power to ensure that all who have bravely served our country, regardless of circumstances, have access to the abortion counseling and care they need."

This CRA follows a new final rule filed by the Trump Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to end VA's ability to provide these services to veterans. A CRA resolution is an oversight tool Congress can use to overturn final rules issues by federal agencies with a simple majority vote. House Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Health Julia Brownley (D-CA) and Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA) also introduced a companion CRA resolution in the House to overturn this rule.

In September 2022, VA began to offer abortion counseling to all pregnant veterans and CHAMPVA beneficiaries, and abortion 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.

Prior to the publication of the final rule, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a memo banning this abortion care and counseling at VA, and the VA issued its own internal memo implementing this new policy immediately. This follows the VA's announcement in August of its intent to issue this change in a proposed rule.

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.

The CRA is endorsed by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Vet Voice Foundation, Minority Veterans of America, Common Defense and twelve other organizations dedicated to protecting the rights and freedoms of our nation's veterans, including Modern Military Association of America, Service Women's Action Network, Reproductive Freedom for All, National Partnership for Women & Families, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Center for Reproductive Rights, Guttmacher Institute, National Council of Jewish Women, National Women's Law Center Action Fund, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and Power to Decide.

Senator Hirono has been a staunch advocate for veterans' reproductive health care, previously leading her colleagues in calling on the VA to take immediate administrative action to offer abortions and all abortion-related services to veterans and eligible dependents, following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022.

In addition to Senators Hirono, Blumenthal, Murray, and Schumer, the joint resolution is also cosponsored by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Angus King (I-ME), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).

The full text of the resolution is available here.

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