The ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee said Thursday that Republicans in Congress are working on "sanctions" against the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The VA is being considered for sanctions for violating the Antideficiency Act.
The ADA forbids federal agencies from spending money that has not been approved. There are administrative and criminal penalties for violating the law, but it's not clear what kind of sanctions Congress could impose, or if providing access to abortions would violate the law.
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The VA is violating the wishes of millions of Americans who don't want their tax dollars used to pay for abortion by ignoring the law.
Lawmakers are still examining what the process for ADA violations would be and how the VA would be held accountable for that, according to a spokesman for Bost.
Thursday's hearing on reproductive health care at the VA came after the department for the first time said it would offer abortions when a pregnant woman's life is in danger. The department will give abortion counseling to veterans.
The VA moved forward with its plans Friday, publishing an interim final rule in the Federal Register that allows it to develop and implement the benefit as soon as possible.
The Supreme Court ruling set off a wave of anti- abortion legislation. Since the Supreme Court's decision, at least 14 states have banned or nearly banned abortion, while nine have moved to restrict abortion but have been blocked by courts from doing so.
The only reason abortion care was not included in the department's medical benefits package was because of the Hyde Amendment, according to the VA.
The VA has the power to cover abortions under the Veterans Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996, according to Democrats in congress.
The Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 prohibits the VA from covering abortions. The law requires the VA to only provide reproductive health care if it's needed because of a service connected condition.
Republicans mentioned the possibility of a lawsuit against the new policy in addition to the threats of sanctions.
"I look forward to it being overturned by the courts, and I plan to do whatever I can to support that effort," said Rep.
An estimated 96,200 female VA patients live in states that have banned or severely restrict abortion according to testimony from a researcher.
Shereef Elnahal, the VA's undersecretary for health, said that the VA sends an average of 10 to 20 veterans annually to outside doctors for abortion care. About 1,000 abortions could be provided annually by the VA under the new policy, according to the director of women's reproductive health.
Elnahal said that they couldn't contend with the safety environment.
The House Veterans Affairs Committee launched an online survey to get feedback from veterans on abortion and reproductive health care at the VA.
The chairman of the committee said at the hearing that the survey had received more than 450 responses. The VA should provide abortion counseling and sometimes it should provide abortion care according to the responses.
Women veterans have worn the uniform of our country with pride and that is why it is an insult to their service that they would be denied from making the most personal choices about their bodies and their lives. In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision, President Biden and the VA Secretary are taking bold action to restore reproductive health care freedoms that were eliminated.
Rebecca Kheel can be reached at military.com. You can follow her on the social networking site.
The VA moves ahead with abortion care as lawsuits loom.
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