by Kelcie Moseley-Morris, Georgia Recorder
August 5, 2025

The Trump administration has taken its first step toward restricting access to abortions for veterans who are covered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ medical benefits, reversing a 2022 rule.

Former Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration enacted the rule following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which ended federally protected access to abortion. More than a dozen states implemented abortion bans after that decision, and the policy was meant to preserve access to abortion for veterans in certain circumstances, regardless of where they lived. Veterans Affairs medical centers were allowed to provide abortions in cases of rape or incest, and when the life or health of the pregnant person was in jeopardy. Counseling about abortion was also permitted.

Under the proposal, nearly all abortions, except those to save a patient’s life, would be banned at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals and would no longer be covered by VA medical benefits.

In eight states with abortion bans, there are no rape or incest exceptions, including Texas, Alabama and Oklahoma, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Five states with bans also don’t have an exception in cases where the pregnant person’s health is at risk, only to save their life.

The rule also applies to recipients of the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA), which provides coverage to veterans’ families, including children, along with caregivers of veterans.

Officials wrote in the proposal that the 2022 policy was enacted because the administration expected increased “demand” for abortion services, but the rule cited abortion bans in several states that created an environment of uncertainty for veterans who might need care.

The Department of Veterans Affairs provided 88 abortions in the first year after the rule went into place, 64 of which were performed because of a threat to the pregnant person’s health, according to VA data reported by Military.com.

Rescinding the rule was a directive in Project 2025, the blueprint document published by the conservative Heritage Foundation and co-authored by anti-abortion organizations such as Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. The first of what the document calls “needed reforms” calls for rescinding all department clinical policy directives that are “contrary to principles of conservative governance, starting with abortion services and gender reassignment surgery.”

“Neither aligns with service-connected conditions that would warrant VA’s providing this type of clinical care,” the Project 2025 document reads.

U.S. law already mandates that federal funding cannot be used for abortions except in cases of rape, incest and in certain medical circumstances. The administration argues the 2022 rule violated the “bright line between elective abortion and health care services” and should return to a policy that only allows abortion care to save the pregnant person’s life. Counseling about abortion options would no longer be permitted.

“Taken together, claims in the prior administrations rule that abortions throughout pregnancy are needed to save the lives of pregnant women are incorrect,” officials wrote in the proposed rule description. “Prior to September 9, 2022, abortions and abortion counseling were excluded from the medical benefits package, with no exceptions.”

According to estimates from nonprofit National Partnership for Women and Families, more than 400,000 women veterans lived in states that already had an abortion ban in place or were likely to ban it in 2023. That figure represents more than half of the women veterans in the country.

Public comment on the proposed rule will be accepted until Sept. 3. 

Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jill Nolin for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com.

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Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

This content presents the proposed abortion restrictions by the Trump administration and outlines the background and implications of the policy change with a largely factual tone. While it mentions the involvement of conservative groups and highlights the rollback of more expansive abortion access established under the Biden administration, it refrains from strong emotive language or partisan judgment. The inclusion of data, references to state laws, and quotes from both sides suggest an attempt to provide balanced context, though the focus on limiting abortion access aligns with conservative policy priorities, placing the content slightly toward a center-right perspective.

SUMMARY: A 29-year-old man, Cody Chitwood, was killed after his car ran off a dangerous curve on Blackwell Road in Cobb County early Saturday, crashing into trees. Residents have long called for safety improvements, citing frequent crashes in the area. Despite recent measures like signage and a reduced 30 mph speed limit, drivers reportedly ignore the warnings. Locals urge the installation of speed bumps or roundabouts to curb speeding and prevent further tragedies. Cobb County DOT is reviewing signage and evaluating additional safety measures. The crash investigation is ongoing, while the community mourns and demands action to enhance road safety.

Police in Georgia say 29 year old Cody Chitwood died when his car ran off Blackwell Road near Autumn Ridge Parkway early Saturday morning. The car went through a fence, down an embankment and hit two trees. Residents who live along Blackwell Road say there have been many wrecks in the same area over the years and something needs to be done to slow done the pace of the traffic.

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SUMMARY: Beaufort County Schools start Wednesday with the lowest teacher vacancies in years, helped by a $9,000 pay raise raising starting salaries to \$60,000—among the highest in South Carolina. Superintendent Frank Rodriguez emphasizes attracting and supporting quality educators and enhancing classroom instruction. The district is expanding career training, including a new AI program at Bluffton High School for students seeking college alternatives. Funding uncertainties loom due to potential changes in the Federal Department of Education, but after-school program funds have just been secured. Free breakfast and lunch will continue for qualifying students in the 2025-26 school year.

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