Pentagon officials have ended a program that reimbursed military personnel for travel expenses to states with abortion laws. Following the signing of an executive order by President Trump that enforced the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits abortions performed using federal funds, the policy was altered. The decision was praised by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who had previously opposed military promotions because of this problem.
Policy Reversed by Executive Order
The Pentagon formally discontinued a policy that paid service members for travel expenses to states that allow abortion.Those in the U.S. Navy who will no longer be eligible for paid leave or travel reimbursement for abortion services will be especially impacted by this reversal. Under former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the policy was first implemented in 2023 and allowed military personnel stationed in states with restrictive abortion laws to travel to other states for reproductive care after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
The change came after President Trump issued his executive order “Enforcing the Hyde Amendment,” which reiterates the long-standing prohibition against using federal funds for abortion services. Part of federal spending bills since 1976, the Hyde Amendment generally forbids the use of taxpayer funds to pay for elective abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or when the mother’s life is in danger.
Trump Undoes Biden's Abortion Legacy: Navy Will No Longer Pay for Sailors' Abortions via @WestJournalism https://t.co/oZj6OZ587P
Do you agree with this? I certainly do.
— Sharon Snoek-Bawden (@BawdenSnoek) March 18, 2025
Support from Republicans and Prior Reputation
Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama has been an outspoken advocate for the policy change, having previously taken strong action against the Pentagon’s travel policy regarding abortion. Last year, during a months-long standoff, Tuberville blocked over 400 military promotions in protest of what he perceived as the Biden administration’s use of the travel reimbursement program to get around the Hyde Amendment.
“Today, Secretary Hegseth and President Trump reaffirmed what I have been advocating since arriving in Washington: no taxpayer funds should be used for abortions.” – Sen. Tommy Tuberville
The Navy’s new policy, effective February 25, explicitly states that taxpayer dollars will not fund or reimburse elective abortion-related travel expenses. Defense officials noted that relatively few service members had actually utilized the benefit during its implementation, though specific numbers have not been released. The reversal brings military policy back in line with traditional interpretations of the Hyde Amendment, which has historically reflected a national consensus against taxpayer funding for abortion procedures.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Ends Military-Funded Abortion Travel https://t.co/ZSJPampFwc pic.twitter.com/mNxscVbaJr
— LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) February 7, 2025
The Democratic Issues
Democratic lawmakers have expressed significant concerns about the policy change and its potential impact on female service members. They argue that military personnel, who have no choice about where they are stationed, could face serious healthcare challenges if deployed to states with strict abortion bans. This is particularly relevant for the approximately 80,000 servicewomen of reproductive age who may be stationed in locations with limited reproductive healthcare options.
Representative Mikie Sherrill, a Navy veteran herself, highlighted the personal dimension of this policy shift. She expressed concern that service members stationed in states with strict abortion regulations, such as Texas and Florida, might face dangerous situations if unable to access necessary reproductive healthcare. This policy change represents a significant shift in how the military addresses reproductive healthcare access for its personnel, returning to pre-2023 standards when service members had to use personal leave and cover their own travel expenses for such procedures.