House GOP Blocking Abortion Access for Raped Soldiers
Source: Mother Jones
Republican Senators John McCain, Scott Brown, and Susan Collins all support an effort by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, to expand abortion access for military women who are raped. But despite bipartisan support in the Senate, Shaheen's proposal may not make it into the final version of the 2013 defense authorization bill—because House Republicans oppose it.
If Shaheen's measure passes, military families will finally have the same access to abortion that other federal employees already receive. Unlike the rest of the federal government, the Department of Defense currently only provides abortion coverage if the life of the mother is at stake. Under current law, if a State Department employee is raped, her government health insurance plan will pay for an abortion if she wants one. But if an Army medic serving in Afghanistan is raped and becomes pregnant, she can't use her military health plan to pay for an abortion. If she does decide to get an abortion, she will have to pay for it with her own money. And if she can't prove she was raped—which is difficult before an investigation is completed—she may have to look for services off base, which can be dangerous or impossible in many parts of the world.
"We have more than 200,000 women serving on active duty in our military," Shaheen tells Mother Jones. "They should have the same rights to affordable reproductive health services as all of the civilians who they protect."
In late May, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved Shaheen's amendment, attaching it to the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act. McCain, the committee's top Republican, voted in favor, as did Brown and Collins. Shaheen is "hopeful" her proposal has enough support to be included in the final bill. The NDAA still needs a vote on the Senate floor. But for Shaheen's amendment, there's a bigger problem: the Republican-controlled House.
Read more: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/06/shaheen-amendment-military-rape-abortion
= new reply since forum marked as read
Er, well, they are, but they shouldna be.
Ah, well, they was askin' for it and gotta be punished.
just in case
And the "girls in our tree house" line is priceless (and accurate).
This old male VN Army vet is glad you're here to weigh in on this important issue. 
VN era here, backatcha
Well, as you know, in spite of what Them What Be In Charge would like to think, paygrade and IQ aren't necessarily the same thing. Also, I manned the paper pump. I knew what was really going down rather than what TWBIC bs'd to the civilians.
"Sergeant, you're a cynic."
"Actually sir, I try to be a realist in a cynical situation."
(Took him a couple of beats to process that.)
Getting back on point, abortion (within the guidelines of RvW) should be available on request for all service women. Their reasons are none of Uncle Sugar's business. It's a legal medical procedure. Further, denying it is a potential waste of resources. If she has the child and can't secure foster care for it, she's discharged. On the other, that may be the actual reason - one less icky girl in the tree house.
I'm lost here. They abandon you when you're wounded, your house is in foreclosure and if you're raped. Tell me again how the repukes support the military.
