VA Proposes Rollback of Biden-Era Abortion Services for Veterans

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The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has proposed scaling back abortion services for veterans and their families, a move that would reverse a 2022 policy implemented under former President Joe Biden.

According to a federal filing released Friday, the VA seeks to eliminate access to abortions and related counseling for veterans and eligible family members under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the VA (CHAMPVA). The department stated that the change aims to “ensure that VA provides only needed medical services to our nation’s heroes and their families.”

Currently, the Biden-era policy permits abortion services in cases where the pregnancy threatens the health or life of the mother or results from rape or incest, even in states with strict abortion laws. The newly proposed rule would restrict services to instances where a physician confirms that the mother’s life is in danger, a policy that had been in place before 2022.

The 2022 expansion followed the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade and ended federal protection for abortion access. In response, the Biden administration had argued that veterans living in states with new abortion bans required alternative access through the VA system.

However, the VA under incumbent President Donald Trump has sharply criticised that move, calling it an example of federal overreach. “The last administration used Dobbs to create a purported federal entitlement to abortion for veterans where none had existed before,” the agency said in the filing, adding that such actions disregarded the authority of individual states.

Since the Dobbs ruling, over 20 states have enacted bans or significant restrictions on abortion. Reports from those states show higher maternal and infant mortality rates alongside increased economic instability.

The VA’s proposed rule change is now open for public comment for 30 days, starting Monday.

During his first term, Trump fulfilled a major campaign pledge by appointing Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade. In his current campaign, Trump has advocated for leaving abortion policy decisions to individual states. In June, the Department of Health and Human Services, along with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, also moved to rescind federal guidance issued in 2022 that had required abortion access during medical emergencies, regardless of state law.