Defense Department dumps travel policy for troops seeking abortions
By Leo Shane III
Jan 31, 2025, 09:21 AM
Pentagon leaders late Thursday revoked the Defense Department’s abortion access policy for troops, following an executive order from President Donald Trump cracking down on the use of taxpayer dollars for any abortion services.
The move was made by officials at the Defense Travel Management Office without public comment on the potential impact of the repeal. Under the old policy, service members could take up to three weeks of administrative leave and receive travel stipends to cross state lines for abortion services if local laws prohibited the procedures.
Former President Joe Biden and his administration had argued the move was needed in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed a constitutional right to access abortion services. In the wake of that ruling, numerous states outlawed the procedure and put in place criminal penalties for individuals aiding anyone seeking an abortion.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2025/01/31/defense-department-dumps-travel-policy-for-troops-seeking-abortions/
