Advocacy Group Sues Trump Administration Over VA Abortion Rule
An advocacy group filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration challenging a VA rule that reinstated limits on abortion services for veterans. The suit seeks to overturn the December rule under the Administrative Procedures Act.
Los Angeles TimesAn advocacy group filed suit Thursday against the Trump administration over a Veterans Affairs rule that reinstated limits on abortion coverage for veterans and their family members. S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, challenges the December rule and asks the court to set it aside.
Attorneys for Minority Veterans of America argue the VA adopted the change without citing medical evidence or other justifications, violating the Administrative Procedures Act. The group says the rule removed exceptions for rape, incest, and cases where a pregnant woman's health is at risk.
The VA did not cover abortion until 2022, when the Biden administration added limited access after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Coverage applied only when a woman's life or health was at risk or in cases of rape or incest, and it allowed services even in states with bans.
The VA proposed reversing those changes last August. Under the new rule, the agency will still provide abortions when a woman's life is threatened but no longer allows exceptions for rape, incest, or health risks. Abortion counseling is also no longer covered.
The lawsuit identifies one member of Minority Veterans of America who learned she was pregnant in early May. The veteran has chronic pain that the pregnancy has worsened, placing her health at substantial risk, according to the complaint. The woman's name was withheld for privacy.
Lindsay Church, executive director of Minority Veterans of America, said the group's members include veterans with complex medical histories, survivors of sexual violence, and those who have experienced pregnancy complications. A VA spokesperson declined to comment on the pending litigation.
