Asa Hutchinson: “I know it is a bad practice when we try to legislate by anecdote. I do know this as well, that much of the debate is…”

“I know it is a bad practice when we try to legislate by anecdote. I do know this as well, that much of the debate is centered around whether or not a woman's rights can be protected under current DOD policy. The insinuation has been that servicewomen experience a lack of support from their chain of command when requesting leave in order to obtain an abortion. Such an argument impugns the professionalism of the officer corps. There are procedures in place and there are rights by which men and women in uniform can be protected. If, in fact, their rights are being disregarded by a commanding officer, there are means under current law by which those rights can be vindicated and the wrong righted. I have great confidence in the professionalism of our officer corps. I fully expect any commanding officer to approve a service member's leave when properly requested, whatever the motivation for that request. If that is not done, then there should be a grievance filed, and I would stand in support of such an individual's right to make that request on a space-available basis.”