{"id":30240,"date":"2022-09-26T18:15:22","date_gmt":"2022-09-26T18:15:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/09\/26\/legal-security-fears-loom-as-va-begins-performing-abortions\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:10:49","slug":"legal-security-fears-loom-as-va-begins-performing-abortions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/management\/2022\/09\/26\/legal-security-fears-loom-as-va-begins-performing-abortions\/","title":{"rendered":"Legal, security fears loom as VA begins performing abortions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With legal issues seemingly covered for now, Veterans Affairs leaders are shifting focus to physical security <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2022\/09\/21\/stress-over-vas-new-health-records-is-causing-staffers-to-leave\/\" target=\"_blank\">concerns for staffers<\/a> involved with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2022\/09\/02\/va-to-provide-abortions-in-cases-of-rape-danger-to-womans-life\/\" target=\"_blank\">providing abortion services<\/a> at department medical centers, to ensure don\u2019t become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2022\/09\/07\/advocates-draw-battle-lines-ahead-of-looming-va-abortion-fight\/\" target=\"_blank\">target for protests or violence. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During a Defense Writers Group discussion on Monday, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2022\/09\/16\/defense-va-leaders-renew-calls-to-prevent-suicides-in-new-message\/\" target=\"_blank\">VA Secretary Denis McDonough<\/a> said he is not presuming that VA hospitals and clinics will face threats, but that officials are taking \u201cappropriate precautions\u201d ahead of any potential trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re working closely with the VA police force,\u201d he told reporters. \u201cWe have the largest police force in the federal government, and we want to make sure that we\u2019re taking prudent and appropriate steps to protect our veterans and our facilities and our providers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2022\/09\/15\/republicans-threaten-lawsuits-budget-penalties-over-va-abortion-move\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1241943815.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Republicans threaten lawsuits, budget penalties over VA abortion move<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The department has said it will offer abortions in cases of rape, incest and threats to a veterans&#039; life or health.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McDonough announced mid-September that VA staffers had performed the first abortion at a department medical facility under new authorities announced by leadership earlier in September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under those rules, VA medical staff will offer abortion access to veterans and eligible dependents in cases of rape, incest and pregnancies that endanger the life or health of an individual. All veterans will also be able to discuss abortion options and access with VA counselors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Administration officials said the move was needed in the wake of numerous states outlawing the procedure in recent months, a response to the June decision by the Supreme Court to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But conservative lawmakers have vowed legal and legislative action to stop the procedures, arguing that the decision violates existing federal law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last week, Department of Justice officials backed the administration\u2019s belief that VA staffers can legally offer the services \u2014 even when states where abortion is illegal \u2014 and said they will provide legal defense if necessary to protect those employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McDonough called that a strong message of support to the VA workforce. He also downplayed Republican threats concerning abortions at VA, calling it part of a range of reproductive health services that a critical to veterans health.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2022\/09\/02\/va-to-provide-abortions-in-cases-of-rape-danger-to-womans-life\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1242677087.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">VA to provide abortions in cases of rape, danger to veteran\u2019s health<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Abortions could be conducted at VA medical centers, even in states where the procedure is outlawed.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere has been enough confusion among our providers about the services that we provide,\u201d he said. \u201cFor example, we place about 10,000 IUDs a year for veterans. We provide fertility assistance for veterans. We provide birth control assistance for veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have 300,000 women veterans of childbearing age who now rely on us for their health care, and that number will grow in coming years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Department officials would not give any details of the abortion performed last week, citing privacy concerns. They also would not say where it took place or whether local laws prohibited the medical procedure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal told lawmakers he expects about 1,000 abortions to be performed by VA annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The department will also connect veterans seeking the service to outside providers in states where the procedure is still legal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last week VA staffers performed the first abortion at a department medical facility under new 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