Chris Deluzio: “I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for yielding. I rise in opposition to the bill. I think that at this moment, my…”

“I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for yielding. I rise in opposition to the bill. I think that at this moment, my fellow veterans and the VA are at a critical point in time. We are seeing folks come in, because of the PACT Act, who served in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, who were exposed to burn pits. We need to meet that moment by investing in the VA. Unfortunately, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have decided to use this bill to attack abortion rights and to attack reproductive freedom. I think every veteran who raised their right hand was writing a blank check to this country, and my fellow veterans who are women ought to have the full reproductive care they have earned from the VA. This bill, which would ban abortions, even where there are health risks to a veteran, is unacceptable to me and is unacceptable to so many in this country and so many who have served. I urge my Republican colleagues to meet this moment by working with us and getting these toxic attacks on people's freedom out of these spending bills. Let's get a bill that we can pass together.”