Defense Department Quietly Rolls Back Reproductive Health Travel Policy

In a significant policy reversal, the Pentagon has quietly repealed its travel reimbursement program for service members seeking reproductive health care, including abortion and fertility treatments. The change, implemented without public announcement, removes financial assistance for military personnel stationed in states where such services are restricted.

Advocacy groups and Democratic lawmakers uncovered the revised travel policy on Thursday, pointing out its online posting. A defense official confirmed the change but declined further comment.

Initially established under the Biden administration in response to the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that permitted states to ban abortion, the policy aimed to support service members unable to choose their station locations. Many of the military’s largest bases are in states with strict abortion laws, leading to concerns over service members' access to essential reproductive care.

While the abortion aspect of the policy drew the most attention, it also covered travel costs for fertility treatments not provided by the military. With the repeal, neither abortion nor fertility-related travel expenses will be reimbursed.

A group of 19 Senate Democrats condemned the decision, calling it "abhorrent" and threatening military readiness. "This decision strips away service members' ability to access the reproductive care they need," they said in a joint statement.

The reversal comes in response to President Trump’s recent executive order, "Enforcing the Hyde Amendment," which mandates that federal agencies eliminate funding for abortion-related expenses. The Defense Travel Management Office cited this order for rescinding the policy.

Though rarely used, the policy had an outsized impact, sparking an 11-month blockade by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) on senior military promotions. On Friday, Tuberville celebrated the repeal, declaring, "Thank God common sense has been restored to our military under President Trump's leadership."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged Tuberville’s role in the policy change, thanking him on social media.

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