WATCH: Sherrill Denounces Latest GOP Abortion Restrictions for Servicewomen

She Fought Against GOP Attempt to Restrict Servicewomen from Traveling for Abortion Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), former Navy helicopter pilot and member of the House Armed Services Committee, condemned MAGA Speaker Mike Johnson and the House GOP for blocking her National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) amendments to protect abortion and reproductive health care access for servicewomen and military dependents. Instead, House Republicans included draconian restrictions on abortion and provisions that will harm women in the armed forces.

“We ask our servicewomen to put their lives on the line while serving across the globe to protect our country – they shouldn’t have to risk their lives while stationed in a state with severe abortion restrictions like Texas or Florida. That’s why I introduced amendments to this year’s National Defense Authorization Act to allow the Department of Defense to perform abortions, protect the ability of women to receive life-saving abortion care, allow servicewomen to travel to access reproductive health care, and ensure that physicians understand what kind of services they can provide, said Rep. Sherrill. “I am deeply disappointed in Speaker Johnson’s cowardly decision to not even allow the House to debate on my common sense provisions. Instead, his MAGA cronies littered this bill with draconian anti-abortion provisions that would cause irreparable harm to servicewomen, military families, and our national security. Our nation needs real leadership, and I will never back down from fighting for our men and women in uniform.”

During the House Armed Service Committee’s NDAA markup earlier this year, Sherrill successfully included an amendment to codify access to year-long supplies of contraceptives to service members. She sought to follow up on that success during full House consideration of the bill by introducing five amendments which would have: 

• Repealed abortion restrictions currently in place for DoD that limit abortion to rape, incest, and life of the mother;
• Codified the DoD’s leave policy for service members or their dependents who need to receive an abortion as well as reimbursement for travel costs for those who need to travel out of state to receive an abortion;
• Prohibited any state or local government from preventing healthcare providers from providing emergency care at military treatment facilities, including emergency care to pregnant individuals; 
• Required that all healthcare providers receive training both annually and when receiving a permanent change of station (PCS) on their obligations to provide covered reproductive healthcare services and counseling at Military Treatment Facilities and their rights and protections to provide such care;
• Required that all TRICARE beneficiaries receive information annually and when receiving a PCS on their rights and ability to access reproductive care services.

The majority of these provisions had strong support from over 50 members of the House of Representatives. Republicans on the House Rules Committee refused to allow for consideration of any of Sherrill’s reproductive health-related amendments. 

Representative Sherrill continues to lead in the fight for women’s health in Congress. She stood up for servicewomen and military families against Senator Tommy Tuberville’s efforts to overturn the Department of Defense’s abortion travel policy. Additionally, she successfully secured an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA to codify access to year-long supplies of contraceptives to service members. Sherrill has introduced legislation to promote education about women’s heart health, and has co-led a bill to ensure women can access a full year’s supply of contraceptives, rather than just three months at a time. Finally, she is leading efforts to end “judge shopping,” a tactic used by anti-abortion advocates to gain favorable outcomes.

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