The House of Representatives has recently ratified a defense funding bill, the $886 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2024, that overturns a policy previously established under President Joe Biden. The contentious policy had required American taxpayers to finance travel and paid leave expenses for military personnel seeking abortions.
The amendment that successfully overrode this policy, known as the Jackson-Roy amendment, was introduced by House Republicans and met with bipartisan approval in a 219-210 vote. The policy was seen by Republicans as not just unpopular, but potentially illegal, and its overturn is being hailed as a victory against taxpayer-funded abortions. The bill, with its pro-life-leaning amendment, is now set to proceed to the Senate where it may face opposition from Democrats.
The Biden policy had mandated that taxpayers bear the cost for travel and paid leave for military personnel and their families pursuing elective abortions. The Jackson-Roy amendment counters this by expressly forbidding the Pentagon from utilizing funds for abortion-related costs and gender transition procedures.
Pro-life advocates, including Representative Ronny Jackson, applauded the passage of this amendment, perceiving it as a robust pushback against what they consider the Biden administration’s unsound and morally objectionable abortion policy for military personnel. Leading pro-life organizations have deemed the vote a significant win in their campaign against taxpayer funding for abortion agendas.
Public opinion polls indicate a majority of Americans oppose taxpayer-funded abortions, both domestically and overseas. Despite this, certain Democratic leaders have deviated from traditional bipartisan support for abortion funding bans, now advocating for taxpayer-funded abortions and aligning themselves more with the objectives of the abortion industry.
