Larson Condemns Trump Administration Near-Total VA Abortion Ban

East Hartford, CT - Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement after the Trump Administration implemented an abortion banat the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), even restricting care in cases of rape and incest. In August, Larson introduced the Reproductive Freedom for Veterans Actwith Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26) to guarantee the right to abortion care at VA facilities.

"It is an affront to our nation's veterans - who courageously served our country with honor - for the Trump Administration deny them their bodily autonomy, even in cases of rape or incest," said Larson. "We have long known about the Republican plan to ban abortion nationwide. For women in the twenty states with abortion bans on the books, VA facilities were often the only place they could seek care. Imposing such a sweeping and extreme ban with the stroke of a pen will endanger the lives of pregnant mothers across the country - mothers who stepped up to uphold the freedoms we hold dear. It is shameful for this to be what their Commander-in-Chief sees as a reward. We cannot let this stand, and I am proud to fight for our veterans. We will continue to fight tooth and nail to restore reproductive rights for all Americans."

In August, Rep. Larson introduced theReproductive Freedom for Veterans Actwith Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26) to guarantee the right to abortion care at the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act (EACH Act) to require federal healthcare programs, including the VA and TRICARE, to provide coverage for abortion services and requires federal facilities to provide access to those services.

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wadein 2022, twenty stateshave enacted abortion bans that remain in effect, criminalizing reproductive health care services for millions of women. In 1990, when Larson served as State Senate President pro tempore, Connecticut became the first stateto enshrine the right to safe and legal abortion into law since Roe was decided in 1973.