FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—The Senate is expected to vote this week on a resolution introduced by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., which would block the Department of Veterans Affairs from providing taxpayer-funded abortions to retired service members.
“Using our VA medical facilities to provide taxpayer-funded abortions is illegal and wrong,” Tuberville said in a news release exclusively provided to The Daily Signal. “The VA’s new policy is a blatant violation of federal law. It forces taxpayers to fund abortions at VA facilities. And it provides limited conscience protections for doctors and nurses with religious objections to performing abortions.”
The Senate will vote on Tuberville’s Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval to block Veterans Affairs’ Sept. 9 interim final rule allowing the department to provide abortions to retired service members, their spouses, and their dependents.
Tuberville expects the vote to take place Wednesday, though the Senate schedule for the week is not yet finalized.
The resolution has 34 Republican co-sponsors in the Senate and one Democratic co-sponsor, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. More than 50 House members also co-sponsored the bill.
Susan B. Anthony Pro Life-America, March for Life, National Right to Life, Catholic Vote, Heritage Action, and Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee endorsed the legislation.
The Biden administration’s rule violates the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992, which prohibits Veterans Affairs from offering abortions, Tuberville said.
Tuberville introduced the resolution of disapproval on Feb. 8. In October, the former football coach joined almost 40 of his congressional colleagues in a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough opposing the VA’s rule.
“This rule is wrong on every level and a bipartisan majority in Congress will stand up to overturn it,” Tuberville said.
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