Steve Buyer: “Over the past three decades, the availability of abortion services at military medical facilities has been subjected to…”

“Over the past three decades, the availability of abortion services at military medical facilities has been subjected to numerous changes and interpretations. In January of 1993, President Clinton signed an Executive Order directing the Department of Defense to permit privately funded abortions to be performed in military treatment facilities. The changes ordered by the President, however, did not have the effect of greatly increasing access to abortion services. Few abortions were performed at military treatment facilities overseas for two principal reasons: First, the military had a difficult time finding health care professionals in uniform willing to perform abortions. In 1993, this policy permitting abortionists, when it was first promulgated, these military physicians refused to perform or assist in elective abortions. In response, the administration sought to hire a civilian doctor to do abortions in military facilities. So we have to ask the question: If the Harman amendment is adopted, not only would taxpayer-funded facilities overseas be used to support abortion on demand, but new personnel would be hired simply so that abortions could, in fact, be performed. Are all the expenses of searching for, hiring and supporting an abortionist to travel from base to base going to be picked up by the private funds? It is an interesting question to ask.…”