Family Council Submits Statement in Support of Rule to End Pro-Abortion Policies at VA

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Last Friday, Family Council submitted a public statement in support of a federal rule change that would help prevent the Department of Veterans Affairs from performing or paying for abortions.

Up until September of 2022, VA hospitals generally did not perform or fund abortions except to save the life of the mother. However, under the Biden Administration, the VA added broad “health” exceptions for abortion as part of an effort to expand abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Health exceptions for abortion are notoriously vague and can lead to abortion on demand in many cases. That’s why states like Arkansas limit abortion to situations where the mother’s life is at risk instead of using a broader “health” exception.

The Trump Administration’s proposed rule change would restore federal policies that were in place prior to 2022 and help protect women and unborn babies from abortion under the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Family Council submitted a public statement in support of the proposal, writing:

Dear Secretary Collins,

Family Council in Arkansas supports the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposal that would restore VA policies against abortion and abortion counseling (RIN 2900–AS31, Federal Register Doc. 2025–14687).

Arkansas’ elected officials have passed laws generally prohibiting abortion except to save the life of the mother. The VA’s 2022 rules contain broad exceptions that could permit abortions at VA facilities in states like Arkansas, contrary to state law. Returning to the pre-2022 rules would help prevent federal policy from undermining democratically-enacted abortion restrictions in states like Arkansas.

We strongly support the proposed rule and ask that it be finalized and implemented as soon as possible.

The federal government has no business trying to overrule state pro-life laws or turn VA hospitals into abortion facilities. Family Council appreciates all of the pro-life leaders who have stood against these bad federal policies, and we appreciate the Trump administration’s decision to rescind President Biden’s flawed rules from 2022.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Pro-Life Victory: VA to Stop Abortions in Veterans’ Hospitals

Abortion, , ,

On August 1, the Trump Administration quietly announced a rule change end abortions at hospitals run by the Department of Veterans Affairs and stop paying for abortions and abortion counseling for veterans and their dependents.

Up until September of 2022, VA hospitals generally did not perform or fund abortions except to save the life of the mother. Under the Biden Administration, the VA added broad “health” exceptions for abortion as part of an effort to expand abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Health exceptions for abortion are notoriously vague and can lead to abortion on demand in many cases. That’s why states like Arkansas limit abortion to situations where the mother’s life is at risk instead of using a broader “health” exception.

The Biden Administration’s 2022 rules authorized VA hospitals to perform these abortions regardless of state pro-life laws. That meant a hospital in a state like Arkansas might perform abortions that would otherwise be illegal under state law.

Needless to say, the Biden Administration’s 2022 abortion rules were deeply flawed.

The VA’s new proposal says,

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proposing to reinstate the full exclusion on abortions and abortion counseling from the medical benefits package, which was removed in 2022. Before that time, this exclusion had been firmly in place since the medical benefits package was first established in 1999. VA is also proposing to reinstate the exclusions on abortion and abortion counseling for Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) that were removed in 2022. We take this action to ensure that VA provides only needed medical services to our nation’s heroes and their families.

This rule change would help protect women and unborn babies from abortion under the Department of Veterans Affairs. That is a major, pro-life victory.

The federal government has no business trying to overrule state pro-life laws or turn VA hospitals into abortion facilities. Family Council appreciates all of the pro-life leaders who have stood against these bad federal policies, and we appreciate the Trump administration’s decision to rescind President Biden’s flawed rules from 2022.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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