Jane Harman: “imagine, if you will, a female captain serving with distinction in the Air Force at Kunsan Air Base, Korea. Brutally…”

“imagine, if you will, a female captain serving with distinction in the Air Force at Kunsan Air Base, Korea. Brutally raped off-base, she receives medical and psychological treatment there, and may even receive more sophisticated OB/GYN treatment at the United States medical facility at Osan or at Yakota Air Base, Japan. If, however, she discovers later that she is pregnant as the result of the rape, she will be unable to terminate the pregnancy at the Air Force hospital at Osan or Yakota if the Dornan amendment is adopted. And she'd be endangering her life if she went to a substandard local off-base facility. In fact, this woman would be treated as a second-class citizen-- forced to travel on her own back to the United States to obtain the kind of medical procedure guaranteed under our Constitution to all other American women. For women, the Dornan amendment makes wearing a uniform a liability. That, indeed, may be the recruiting poster designed by the gentleman from California. ``Abandon your rights, all ye women who enter.'' I strongly support the amendment of my colleague from Connecticut to affirm current policy. Under current policy, neither Federal funds are used nor are health professionals required to perform abortions. Under current policy, expenses are borne entirely by the servicewoman or dependent. This is a matter of fairness and equal access to medical facilities.…”