On Thursday July 13, House Republicans voted 221-213 in favor of adding amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would ban the Pentagon from paying for abortion expenses.
Called the the Jackson-Roy amendment, the bill was facilitated by Representative Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) and Representative Chip Roy (R-Texas), two pro-life advocates.
In February, the President Joe Biden's Department of Defense (DoD) signaled it would implement “Defense Secretary Loyd Austin’s directive that the DoD pay travel costs for service members and their dependents for elective (‘non-covered’) abortions,” Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America reported.
“Since 1984, federal law has prohibited DOD funding for elective abortion. The Austin directive was issued in blatant disregard for this longstanding law," the group continued, arguing that the allowance for abortion travel expenses violates the Hyde amendment prohibiting federal tax dollars from being used to fund abortions.
The Jackson-Roy amendment would make it clear that the Defense Department can't use federal money for expenses related to abortions, including abortion travel. As Rep. Jackson tweeted after the vote, “My amendment to stop Biden from using the DOD to pay for abortion travel passed. his policy is illegal, and soon, it will be gone. This is a great day for our country.”
The vote comes as pro-life Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) has also pledged to block Biden's military nominees if the administration's abortion travel funding policy is implemented.
Many celebrated the pro-life victory.
“Today the House took a powerful step toward reining in Biden’s illegal policy of taxpayer-funded abortion travel at the Department of Defense,” said SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “Representatives Jackson and Roy have courageously led the charge to force the administration to follow the four decades old law against taxpayer funding for abortion at the DOD. Now the House must send the Jackson-Roy amendment in the NDAA to the Senate, and then on to the president’s desk.”
211 Democrats just voted for the military to pay for abortions with defense funds.
— Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) July 13, 2023
Only Henry Cuellar voted against it.
Let that sink in. These people are sick.
The Pentagon shouldn’t be in the business of funding abortions. That’s not their job.
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) July 13, 2023
This isn’t radical. This is common sense.
Others, including our very own president, were not happy.
"Totally irresponsible." President Joe Biden slammed Senator Tommy Tuberville for holding up military promotions in protest of a Pentagon abortion policy. https://t.co/OXHlDLqyrT pic.twitter.com/gy86pnVAen
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) July 14, 2023
Gosh, NYT, tell us your politics without telling us your politics. pic.twitter.com/tyLesbCWZk
— Kevin R Kosar (@kevinrkosar) July 14, 2023
Time will tell if the amendment will pass in the Senate. Even if it does, a veto from the president seems likely. Even still, pro-lifers seem to be happy at the win while they have it.
