Both the House and Senate Armed Services Subcommittees on Military Personnel marked up portions of their FY2001 defense authorization bills this week. The Senate subcommittee approved, by voice vote, its portion of the bill on May 2, and the House subcommittee approved, by voice vote, its portion on May 4.
Traditionally, the Department of Defense (DoD) reauthorization bill has become the battleground over an abortion-related provision. Current law prohibits privately funded abortions in military hospitals. DoD covers abortions performed in domestic and international military facilities only in cases of rape, incest, or if the life of the pregnant woman is endangered. DoD is required to transport the woman to the United States in order to receive an abortion. Over the past five years, opponents of the provision have unsuccessfully attempted to remove the restriction.
During House subcommittee action, Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) offered an amendment to repeal the restriction on privately funded abortions. The amendment was defeated, 8-8. Last year, the subcommittee approved an identical amendment, but that vote was reversed by the full committee. Rep. Sanchez will offer the amendment during full committee action on May 10.
Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) offered and then withdrew an amendment that would have prohibited women in the Navy from serving on submarines. The amendment would have codified current Navy policy. Rep. Bartlett will offer his amendment during full committee action.
Details of the Senate subcommittee-approved bill will not be released until the full committee completes its mark-up, scheduled for May 9 and 10.
