By Dave Andrusko
Pro-abortion Democrats seethed with anger when on Thursday House pro-life Republicans passed the Jackson Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act.
The amendment offered by Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) was a corrective to a change instituted last year by the pro-abortion Biden Administration. On October 20, 2022, the Biden Administration’s Department of Defense (DOD) published a memorandum directing the DOD to pay the travel and transportation costs for military members and dependents who travel to obtain elective abortions. Previously federal law had long prevented the DOD from using funds to perform elective abortions and prevented the DOD from using its facilities to provide abortions.
“The Pentagon’s policy allowing service members time off for an elective abortion and reimbursing them for travel costs related to the procedure was put in place last year following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which gave states the authority to determine their own abortion laws,” according to Landon Mion of Fox News.
“After the ruling, Biden affirmed his position that his administration was committed to protecting access to abortion.”
After the vote, Rep. Jackson said, “My amendment to stop Biden from using the DOD to pay for abortion travel passed This policy is illegal, and soon, it will be gone. This is a great day for our country.”
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), the first female combat veteran elected to the Senate, said previously, “The Pentagon should not be mobilized against the unborn. The Department of Defense exists to defend life, not destroy.”
She added, “Biden DoD’s policy is not just unlawful, it’s immoral. Congress has been clear; the Hyde Amendment protects taxpayers from being forced to fund abortions. I will continue to ensure the unborn and your tax dollars are protected.” Sen. Ernst is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
NRLC President Carol Tobias added, “Contrary to remarks made on the House floor, Republicans are not the ones trying to change the status quo. It is the Biden Administration wanting to dip into the pockets of taxpayers and illegally use that money to pay for abortion travel.”