Dem Women’s Caucus Members Successfully Protect Against Anti-Abortion Attacks in the NDAA
Washington, D.C. – Today, members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) released the following statements on their successful efforts to keep anti-abortion attacks out of the NDAA.
The Democratic Women’s Caucus has fought against inclusion of anti-abortion language in the NDAA throughout the 118th Congress. In June, the DWC warned House Armed Service Committee (HASC) leadership to not include any attacks on reproductive health care in the historically bipartisan NDAA. After passing a bipartisan bill out of Committee, House Republican leadership ignored the DWC’s warnings, and House Republicans passed a partisan bill that included attacks on abortion access—which the DWC formally opposed. In October, the DWC urged the NDAA conferees to remove harmful anti-abortion provisions and made clear that “the inclusion of any such provision could jeopardize final passage of the bill.”
"Time and again, the American people have shown they support a woman's right to reproductive freedom, and it's a disgrace that House Republicans tried to pass extreme anti-choice measures in this year's defense bill,” said Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), a retired Air Force officer. “Due to our tenacity, harmful attempts to rollback DoD’s travel reimbursement policy for reproductive healthcare were removed from the FY24 NDAA. This work was pivotal in ensuring my yes vote on this legislation that now heads to the President’s desk for signature. Service women and military dependents already sacrifice so much for our country – they shouldn't have to sacrifice their dignity to pursue health care choices, too. As a proud member of the Democratic Women's Caucus and the House Armed Services Committee, I will continue to protect a woman's right to choose in the military and anywhere else that right is threatened."
“House Republicans have shown that they will stop at nothing to push their extreme, anti-abortion agenda. While they tried to poison this historically bipartisan national security legislation, I’m glad we were able to successfully push back on their radical social agenda and instead pass a serious NDAA that fulfills our sacred commitment to our armed services and the men and women who sign up to defend the United State,” said Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ).
###