Summary
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will stop providing abortion services and counseling to veterans, based on a legal opinion from the Department of Justice. President Donald Trump's administration has pushed for this change, reversing a policy from the previous administration.
Key Facts
- The VA will no longer offer abortion services, even in cases of rape or incest.
- This decision follows a December 18 legal memo from the Department of Justice, which stated the VA lacks the authority to provide abortion services.
- President Trump has aimed to limit abortion access since the start of his second term.
- Over 900,000 women were enrolled in VA Healthcare in 2023.
- A Biden-era policy allowed abortions under certain conditions, but this has now been overturned.
- Services still permitted include those for conditions like miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies that threaten the mother's life.
- The change is in line with a proposed VA rule that is still moving through the regulatory process.
