This bill would require military service secretaries to allow leave for "non-covered reproductive health care" for servicemembers and their dependents. "Non-covered reproductive health care" includes abortion care not already allowed under 10 U.S.C. 1093 and assisted reproductive technologies such as egg or sperm collection, intrauterine insemination, and several forms of in vitro fertilization. The bill says leave for these time-sensitive services must be approved and members should not be forced to tell their commanding officer which procedure they are receiving. It requires reimbursement of certain travel-related costs when timely care is not available nearby, asks commanders and military health providers to protect privacy, and prohibits adverse actions for requesting, taking, providing, or approving this leave.
If you are a servicemember or a dependent, the bill would direct military leaders to approve leave for abortion care (outside of 10 U.S.C. 1093) and for assisted reproductive technology when services are time-sensitive. You would not be required to disclose the specific procedure to your commanding officer. The bill also says you cannot be punished for using this leave.
The bill requires the military to reimburse members or dependents for costs when timely care is not available nearby. Reimbursable costs listed are meals (including taxes and tips), lodging (including taxes, tips, and service charges), round-trip transportation, and standard travel allowances for one or more necessary escorts or attendants. No publicly available information on the total cost or a budget estimate is included in the bill text.
The bill's findings say that state restrictions on abortion have increased barriers to care and that reproductive care, including abortion and fertility treatment, is time-sensitive and important for health, economic stability, and family building. Supporters argue that military members face extra barriers because of base locations, leave rules, and deployment, and that denying or delaying access harms individuals and could hurt military recruitment and retention. The bill emphasizes privacy, nonpunishment, and that decisions about abortion or family building should not be left to a commander’s personal beliefs.
No publicly available information.