Rep. Burlison leads Pro-Life letter to Speaker Johnson
January 19, 2024
The Honorable Mike Johnson Speaker of the House
H-232, The Capitol Washington, DC 20515
Dear Speaker Johnson,
As Congress continues to work through the appropriations process, we have serious concerns regarding the language of the final version of the Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriations Bill. Specifically, we urge you to include language that unequivocally prohibits the use of taxpayer funds for service members to travel to obtain an abortion.
As you know, the Biden Administration has increasingly tried to force abortion policies into every part of the government, including the military. The DoD’s memorandum published in October 2022 entitled, “Ensuring Access to Reproductive Health Care,” has effectively turned the DoD into an abortion travel agency. Redirecting the focus of our armed forces away from
readiness and combating threats and instead toward the Biden Administration’s radical abortion agenda is an intentional and abhorrent misuse of government funding to facilitate the killing of unborn children.
We believe safeguarding the principles and values our military upholds is crucial. By introducing clear language that prohibits the allocation of funds for travel related to abortion services, we can ensure that taxpayer dollars are not used to facilitate or help provide for abortions.
We recognize the importance of providing comprehensive healthcare to our military personnel. Abortion is not healthcare, and therefore should not be treated as such. The appropriations process should focus on the primary mission of the Department of Defense – national defense.
We appreciate your attention to this matter and value your leadership in ensuring that the final Department of Defense Appropriations Bill reflects the principles that guide our military and the nation it serves.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
