U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and U.S. Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas) have introduced a bicameral resolution to nullify a Department of Veterans Affairs rule allowing abortion services.
The two were joined by 65 lawmakers in both houses of Congress, including U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) and U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile).
Filed under the Congressional Review Act, the resolution opposes the VA rule allowing abortion services through its healthcare system. The services provided by the VA in these cases are taxpayer funded.
The Congressional Review Act allows Congress to review major guidelines issued by federal agencies before the new guidelines are implemented. In the event Congress disapproves of a proposed rule, it will not be enforced under federal law.
“Using our VA medical facilities to provide publicly funded abortions is an unconstitutional abuse of the system, and it will not be tolerated,” said Tuberville. “No taxpayer should be forced to pay for abortion services that disregard the will of millions of Americans in states with legal protections for life, rightfully upheld by the Supreme Court last year.
“The interim final rule highlights this administration’s willingness to ignore the law and exploit limited federal resources to serve their extreme abortion agenda.”
The VA published the rule after the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade.
The Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 prohibits the VA from providing abortion services.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.