Senator Lankford Praises Reversal of VA Abortion Rule
Senator James Lankford from Oklahoma has expressed his support for the Trump administration’s decision to reverse a rule from the Biden era that allowed the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct abortions.
This past Friday, the administration announced a proposed change to the rule, which is set to be officially published on Monday. The new policy aims to restrict VA hospitals and medical centers from providing abortions in most situations, although it will still allow for care in life-threatening conditions for pregnant women.
Lankford thanked President Trump and VA Secretary Doug Collins, stating, “This is precisely the kind of leadership veterans deserve. Every veteran should have a VA that values every life, especially the unborn.” He further emphasized that:
The previous Biden administration’s abortion rule at the VA violated federal law and should have never been put in place.
Reversing it sends a clear message: The government ought to protect life, not end it, and under President Trump, the VA’s mission is to serve veterans with dignity and care—not push a political agenda.
According to the Federal Register, the 2022 Biden rule lifted the ban on abortion counseling and created exceptions for abortions in the medical benefits package for veterans.
Lankford has previously criticized this regulation, which came shortly after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, arguing that it directly contradicted Section 106 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992.
“Before the politically charged change in 2022 by the Biden administration, federal law and longstanding practices across different administrations prevented the VA from offering abortions and related counseling. The proposed rule will restore the bipartisan policy that had been in place, aligning the VA with historical norms,” a spokesperson for Veterans Affairs stated.
Since joining the Senate, Lankford has been a strong advocate for pro-life initiatives, earning an A+ rating from the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List. In February 2023, he and over 60 colleagues attempted to nullify the Biden rule through a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act.
The CRA allows Congress to repeal federal regulations with a simple majority in both the House and Senate, although a presidential veto could block this. In this case, with Democrats in control of both the White House and Senate, Republicans were unable to reverse the Biden rule.
One major concern raised by lawmakers about the Biden administration’s regulation was that it obligated American taxpayers to fund abortions, regardless of their personal beliefs. As Senator Tommy Tuberville from Alabama pointed out in 2023, “No taxpayer should be compelled to finance abortion services that go against the will of millions of Americans in states that prioritize life, upheld by the Supreme Court in 2022.”
Support for the joint resolution came from various organizations, including Heritage Action, CatholicVote, and Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee.
