1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed rules that would ban the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from performing abortions and counseling female veterans about pregnancy termination options. This proposal is a dangerous overreach that threatens the health and autonomy of our nation's female veterans. The draft regulations, which would only allow abortions when a physician certifies that the mother's life is endangered, are far too restrictive and could lead to preventable deaths. This narrow exception fails to account for the complex realities faced by many female veterans, particularly the one in three who are sexual assault survivors. Since 2022, the VA has provided limited abortion services, recognizing the critical healthcare needs of female veterans. Reversing this policy now would be a significant step backward, especially considering that women are the fastest-growing group of military veterans. Many of these women live in states with near-total abortion bans, making VA healthcare their only option for comprehensive reproductive care. The Trump administration's claim that this change is for patient safety and compliance with a 1992 law is misleading. Legal experts argue that the 1992 law has been superseded, and the proposed rule actually puts patient safety at risk by denying essential healthcare services. I urge you to oppose these regulations and instead support legislation that would protect and expand abortion access for female veterans. Our veterans have served our country with honor and deserve comprehensive healthcare that respects their bodily autonomy and personal medical decisions. The VA should be expanding its services to meet the needs of all veterans, not restricting critical care based on political ideology. Time is of the essence. With nearly 20,000 comments already submitted to the federal register, it's clear that this issue is of great concern to many Americans. Please act swiftly to prevent these harmful regulations from being implemented and to ensure that female veterans retain access to the full spectrum of reproductive healthcare services they need and deserve.