Hirono, Murray, Shaheen, Warren Applaud DOD Action to Ensure Access to Reproductive Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), and Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today applauded the Department of Defense’s (DOD) memorandum on ensuring access to reproductive health care:

“Today’s announcement from the Department of Defense is a significant step toward protecting the reproductive freedom of servicemembers and their families. These actions will help ensure that our servicemembers can access the health care they need, while protecting the medical professionals who provide this care. As Republicans in Washington and across the country work to enact a nationwide abortion ban following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn a 50 year Constitutional right, the federal government must use every available tool to protect the fundamental right to reproductive care for all women, including our servicemembers. We’re glad to see DOD taking these steps, and we hope the Department will continue working to strengthen the reproductive rights of all servicemembers and their families.”

In June, following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, Senator Hirono led a group of her Senate colleagues in calling on DOD to take immediate steps to support and protect female servicemembers seeking abortion services.

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