Pappas Condemns VA’s Decision to Reinstate Near-Total Abortion Ban
Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) released the below statement following the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issuing an internal memorandum reinstating a near-total ban on abortions and abortion counseling, ripping away access to health care from thousands of veterans.
"The Trump administration is taking away health care from veterans and their families who have served our country. They’re blocking access for veterans without even providing exceptions for rape or incest, interfering in deeply personal medical decisions. VA is the only place some veterans can obtain counseling and reproductive care, so I will continue to do everything I can to fight this ban because extreme politicians should stay out of other people’s health care.”
In September 2022, following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the VA used its rulemaking authority under the Veterans Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996 to allow VA health care providers to offer abortion counseling and abortion services in cases of rape, incest, and the life and health of the veteran. Prior to that rule, VA enforced the most restrictive abortion ban of any federal health care agency. The Biden-era policy survived legal challenges and was finalized in March 2023.
On August 4, 2025, the Trump administration issued a proposed rule to repeal the 2022 policy and it was finalized yesterday. Rather than waiting to finalize a proposed regulation on abortion care, VA issued an internal memorandum which only preserves a narrow exception when the life of the mother is at risk, eliminating VA’s ability to provide abortion care in nearly all other cases. This once again makes the VA the only major federal health provider with such an extreme restriction.
Background:
In August, Pappas helped introduce the Reproductive Freedom for Veterans Act, which would guarantee that veterans and eligible dependents have the right to receive abortion care, medication, and counseling through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), without interference from political appointees or partisan agendas and protected by law.
In September, Pappas joined a bicameral effort of submitting a public comment on VA’s proposed rule to reinstate a near-total ban on abortions and abortion counseling.