Sherrill Takes on Sen. Tuberville, Fights for Reproductive Freedom for Servicewomen and Military Families

Washington, DC — Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) testified before the House Rules Committee to advocate for two amendments she submitted for the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to protect servicewomen’s and their families’ access to abortion care and to hold Senator Tommy Tuberville accountable for blocking hundreds of military promotions. As a result of Senator Tuberville’s obstruction, the U.S. Marine Corps is without a confirmed leader for the first time in more than a century — jeopardizing our national security and credibility on the global stage.

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Sherrill helped write the text of the NDAA during last month’s committee mark-up and spoke up for the need to protect the reproductive freedom of our servicewomen and military families. The bill is now coming under consideration by the entire House, which requires the Rules Committee to determine which new amendments are found in order and can be debated on the House floor. Her amendments would study the impact of Senator Tuberville’s dangerous holds on military promotions and codify the current DoD abortion travel policy.

Watch her full remarks here. Below are her remarks as delivered:

I come before the Committee today to speak up for our servicewomen, and military families, whose rights and access to basic healthcare have come under attack since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade.

With over 100,000 active duty servicemembers serving in Texas alone – a state where basic rights have become so bad that women such as Anna Zargarian and Lauren Miller have brought lawsuits because their access to basic reproductive healthcare was so poor that it endangered their lives and they had to flee to other states to get cared for – we can only imagine how many military families would be put at greater risk if this body institutes a travel ban and no longer allows women the leave and travel they need to seek care outside of states that endanger their reproductive health with draconian abortion laws.  

In the court cases alone that continue to be brought by Texas women, we see that the majority seek care in other states. Many of our servicewomen are serving far from home and have neither the support networks nor the finances to seek that care on their own. Providing them time off of work and travel is the bare minimum we can do for those who have chosen to serve our nation. 

In the wake of Dobbs, the Department of Defense recognized that abortion is a time sensitive-procedure and access should not be delayed for members or military families. 

They moved swiftly to ensure servicewomen living in highly restrictive states could travel to another state to receive the healthcare they need. 

This policy has come under attack by Senator Tommy Tuberville, who is obstructing hundreds of military promotions and appointments, and threatening our national security to push his personal agenda on our servicewomen. 

That’s why it is essential we codify this critical travel policy to ensure the best healthcare outcomes for our servicemembers and ensure their rights are protected. I want to thank Rep. Crow for championing this effort and for his tireless efforts on behalf of our servicemembers and military families. 

The denial of leave for an abortion or any other reproductive health service violates the rights of members of the Armed Forces. 

Which brings me to my next amendment and the dangerous tactics Senator Tuberville has taken to push his personal beliefs on the millions of servicewomen and their families nationwide. 

For the first time since 1859, we don’t have a Commandant of the Marine Corps. Senator Tuberville’s personal political agenda leaves the Marine Corps without a leader and jeopardizes our national security.

For the first time in 59 years, on the brink of welcoming the first female Superintendent, the transition did not occur this summer. 

Senator Tuberville’s crusade must end. We need to know the true impact of this obstruction, which is why I am introducing this amendment to analyze the impact these holds are having on our armed forces. 

Both of these amendments – numbers 971 and 490 – are crucial to the future of our armed forces and the well-being of our servicemembers. I urge you to find them in order.