Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from California for her incredible leadership on this and so many other issues on the House Committee on Armed Services. She has truly built a legacy which will be hard to repeat. Signing up for the military is a sacrifice. In return, our servicemembers should never have to worry about their own healthcare being criminalized by the very country they have volunteered to defend. But for an estimated 5,000 to 7,400 Active-Duty servicemembers and DOD civilians who find themselves in need of an abortion each year, this is exactly what could happen. Thousands serve in States they did not choose. Many of these places now deem abortion a criminal act. So what happens next? Many of my colleagues would just simply suggest: Take leave and travel to a State that provides abortions. Are we going to force servicemembers to disclose a sexual assault to justify leave? What about those who aren't authorized to travel due to training status? What about women with complications who need emergency services? Forty percent of Active-Duty servicewomen in the U.S. could now be faced with significant challenges accessing critical healthcare in the wake of the Dobbs decision--40 percent. Let me be clear, there will be an operational impact on military recruitment and retention. The Department of Defense must defend all of its servicemembers. We entrust these brave young Americans with the toughest life-and-death decisions.…”