Under a decades-old federal law, the military is prohibited from paying for abortions except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. This applies even to service members based in states where abortion is legal; Nakagawa lives in Sonoma County, California. There’s also no exception for catastrophic or fatal fetal … Read more
Instead, women in the military are often relying on an ad-hoc peer support system that many compared to an “underground railroad” of military women helping one another, according to interviews with more than 40 current and former service members, advocates and researchers.. “Women are coming up with their own solutions,” said Caitlin Clason, a former … Read more
“It’s enormously disappointing to see the bipartisan bill that we passed out of committee 57-1 become overrun with partisan amendments that restrict reproductive freedoms, attack LGBTQ+ service members, leave our NATO allies behind, ignore the threat of climate change, and more,” Houlahan said in a statement. “Our military families deserve better than this political theatre.” … Read more
On Tuesday, not a single Republican sided with Democrats as the Senate Rules Committee advanced a resolution that would allow mass confirmations of those nominees for the rest of the Congress, an effort that would effectively end Tuberville’s holds. Instead, Republicans sought more time to end the quarrel internally — after eight months of failing … Read more
Tensions are boiling among female veterans (and on Capitol Hill) over the Alabama senator’s blockade of almost 400 military officers. Read more at Vanity Fair
“He was pretty dismissive,” Jaslow told The 19th. “If you’re one of those people or their families, that’s the last thing you want to hear. It is your whole world. You’re caught up in this political tantrum, and one senator and his personal political agenda is being prioritized over your family, your life, your livelihoods, … Read more
After Hamas attacked Israel, Senate Democrats said it was past time for several top-level military nominees to be approved. But a Tuberville spokesperson confirmed Sunday that the senator’s position remains: Democrats must move top nominees individually until the Pentagon revokes its policy of covering travel costs for troops seeking an abortion across state lines. Read … Read more
Tuberville refuses to budge on military promotions despite growing GOP pressure But Tuberville is standing firm and says he will only release the holds if the Biden administration reverses its policy of paying for service members to travel across state lines to obtain abortions. Read more at The Hill Why Tuberville breakthrough isn’t breaking military … Read more
A dozen DOD officials, current and former service members and military spouses said in interviews that troops are nervous about seeking the benefit because they say it could compromise their privacy and open them up to retaliation. Read more at Politico
More than 300 general and flag officer nominees have no clear path to confirmation over Tuberville’s objections, which he put in place over his opposition to the Pentagon’s policy that reimburses troops who need to travel to seek abortions and other reproductive care. The Pentagon is standing by the policy and Tuberville has vowed to … Read more
