Democratic Women’s Caucus Warns HASC Leadership: Don’t Attack Reproductive Rights in Historically Bipartisan NDAA
Washington D.C. – Today, the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) Chair Lois Frankel, Vice Chairs Nikema Williams and Teresa Leger Fernández, and Policy Co-Chairs Ayanna Pressley and Kathy Manning made clear to House Armed Service Committee (HASC) leadership that they strongly oppose any efforts to attack reproductive health care in the NDAA—and the inclusion of any such provision could jeopardize final passage of the bill.
“We write to express our strong opposition to the inclusion of any provisions that attack access to reproductive health care and fertility treatments—or any burdensome, politically-motivated reporting requirements on this care,” wrote the members in a letter to HASC leadership. “The Democratic Women’s Caucus is fully committed to the health and wellbeing of all women and is strongly opposed to the needless politization of the NDAA. … Women—including women servicemembers—already face steep barriers to accessing reproductive health care, and further attacks would only make this health crisis worse.”
The DWC letter comes as House Republicans have even begun using the normal appropriations process to advance provisions that would restrict access to mifepristone and ban the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from providing abortion care to veterans in cases of rape or incest, or to protect the health and life of the mother. The scheduled NDAA committee markup will also take place just days ahead of the first anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision.
In the letter, the members warned, “Women across the country are watching closely, and don’t want to see reproductive rights further eroded in what has been a historically bipartisan bill dedicated to strengthening our national security and protecting our servicemembers. Inclusion of provisions attacking reproductive rights could jeopardize the final passage of this important legislation.”
Read the full letter HERE, and below:
The Honorable Mike Rogers
Chairman
Committee on Armed Services
2216 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515
The Honorable Adam Smith
Ranking Member
Committee on Armed Services
2216 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515
Dear Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith,
As you approach full Committee markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (NDAA), on Wednesday, June 21, we write to express our strong opposition to the inclusion of any provisions that attack access to reproductive health care and fertility treatments—or any burdensome, politically motivated reporting requirements on this care.
The Democratic Women’s Caucus is fully committed to the health and wellbeing of all women and is strongly opposed to the needless politization of the NDAA. We urge you to not use the NDAA to attack reproductive health care or further politicize it. Women—including women servicemembers—already face steep barriers to accessing reproductive health care, and further attacks would only make this health crisis worse. Our service women are standing up for our freedom, we must stand up for theirs.
Your committee markup will take place just days ahead of the first anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which dealt a devastating blow to reproductive rights. Women across the country are watching closely, and don’t want to see reproductive rights further eroded in what has been a historically bipartisan bill dedicated to strengthening our national security and protecting our servicemembers. Inclusion of provisions attacking reproductive rights could jeopardize the final passage of this important legislation.
Thank you for your work on this important bill.
Sincerely,
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