Bill Encourages Military Access to Reproductive Care

WASHINGTON – In late April, a group of Senate Democrats introduced the Military Access to Reproductive Care and Health (MARCH) Act of 2013, which would allow women in the military to receive abortions in military medical facilities using their own funds.

Abortions are currently prohibited at military hospitals unless a woman is a victim of rape or incest or her life is in danger. That means that servicewomen needing an abortion must go to a medical facility outside of the military base to receive abortion services. In several countries, however, that is difficult due to lack of access, privacy, safety or language barriers. Unlike in the case of a court martial defense, this could be a different sort of legal affair to contend with. The other option is flying back to the U.S. or another country, which can take weeks or months.

“Women serving in foreign countries deserve access to safe and legal health care, which in many cases is not available off the military base. Women in the U.S. military shouldn’t have to forfeit their rights when they serve abroad, and this legislation would bring unjust treatment to an end,” said New Jersey Senator Frank R. Lautenberg in a statement.

The bill would still keep the ban against taxpayer dollars being spent for abortions at overseas military facilities and the “conscience clause” would stay in effect so that any military physician who did not want to perform the procedure would not be required to do so.

The ban was lifted in 1993 as the result of an executive order from President Bill Clinton, but Congress changed it to the current law two years later.

The issue has resurfaced due to the rates of sexual violence in the U.S. Armed Forces. According to the Department of Defense, about 19,000 service members are sexually assaulted each year. While the current law allows for women who have been raped to get an abortion, that would require them to disclose the assault to their commanding officer – who, in some cases, is the perpetrator in question.

“Women who put their lives on the line for our country deserve access to comprehensive reproductive health care they need when they want it, regardless of where they seek care,” said New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen in a statement. “This bill represents an important step forward for women serving in the military.”