Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) announced his support for impeachment articles against U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem.
“Secretary Noem’s continued refusal to take responsibility for the rogue and indiscriminate actions of an agency under her supervision requires accountability,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “Her cruel and incompetent leadership, which this Administration continues to condone, has resulted in the murder of two American citizens, illegal operations in South Texas and across the country, and the misuse of taxpayer dollars. For this reason, I have called on Secretary Noem to resign. If she fails to do so of her own accord, then Congress must act.”
The U.S. Constitution grants Congress sole authority on impeachment. Joining more than 100 of his House colleagues, Congressman Gonzalez is now a cosponsor of three articles of impeachment that were formally introduced by Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02):
Obstruction of Congress
Secretary Noem violated her constitutional oath and refused to comply with the law that prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from preventing a Member of Congress from entering a DHS facility used to detain undocumented immigrants.
Violation of Public Trust
Secretary Noem has repeatedly violated the Immigration and Nationality Act, the First and Fourth Amendments of the United States Constitution. She’s also broken due process by directing ICE to conduct warrantless arrests and use violence against U.S. citizens and lawful individuals.
During Secretary Noem’s “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago, federal agents used excessive force, in some cases injuring or killing residents. Federal agents used military-style tactics to raid an apartment building in South Shore, detaining U.S. citizens for hours without warrants or reason for arrest. These dangerous actions have continued in cities across the country, including in Minneapolis, where Renee Nicole Good and Alex Jeffrey Pretti were shot and killed without justification.
Self-Dealing
Secretary Noem has misused her position for personal gain while inappropriately using $200 million taxpayer dollars to fund an ad campaign for ICE recruitment. She bypassed the normal competitive bidding process to award a contract to a firm called Strategy Group. Strategy Group was formed just days before the award and is run by the husband of senior DHS official Tricia McClaughlin, a close friend of Secretary Noem.
The full text of the articles of impeachment can be readhere.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement after signing onto an effort to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
“Today, I joined my colleagues in supporting H.Res. 996, a resolution to impeach Secretary Kristi Noem for high crimes and misdemeanors. I do not take the decision to pursue impeachment lightly. It is one of the most solemn responsibilities of the House of Representatives.
“Congress must ensure accountability at the highest levels of our government. When a cabinet official willfully disregards statutes passed by Congress and obstructs lawful oversight, it diminishes trust in our institutions and threatens the constitutional framework that protects American rights and liberties. I believe these matters warrant careful consideration by the House Judiciary Committee and ultimately by the full House.
“My support for this resolution is rooted in a broader concern about the Department of Homeland Security and the direction of federal immigration enforcement under this administration. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations are, right now, sowing fear and chaos in American communities.
“Last week, I voted against funding for DHS and ICE, and now as ICE continues to escalate its lawless operations, I am taking the extraordinary step of supporting impeachment of the Secretary Noem. As the head of this Department, Secretary Noem must be the held responsible for the lawlessness, terror, and havoc that ICE has caused across this country, and especially in places like Minneapolis.
“We have seen ICE embrace enforcement tactics that are violent, that tear families apart, and that are untethered from basic standards of accountability, due process, and public safety. The killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis this month have deepened concerns about federal tactics and the impact on local public safety and community trust.
“Accountability and reform must come now. Secretary Noem must be held accountable for the lawless behavior that ICE has committed under her stewardship. I join my colleagues in demanding that Secretary Noem must be impeached and her oversight of ICE must be investigated thoroughly before Congress.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman French Hill (AR-02)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. French Hill (AR-02), Rep. Jim Costa (CA-21), Rep. Sharice Davids (KS-03), Rep. Donald Davis (NC-01), Rep. Max Miller (OH-07), and Rep. Blake Moore (UT-01) introduced the bipartisan Ticket to Work Awareness Act to increase awareness of an existing program that helps Americans with disabilities access job training, employment services, and support without risking their benefits.
Rep. Hill said, “Nearly two-thirds of eligible beneficiaries have no idea the Ticket to Work program exists. That is unacceptable. This commonsense bill improves outreach so people who want to work know what options are available to them, without adding new spending or growing government. I am proud to co-lead this bipartisan effort to correct the Social Security Administration’s failure to adequately communicate and promote this important program and support greater opportunities and independence for people with disabilities.”
“I’m proud to co-lead this bipartisan legislation to ensure people receiving Social Security disability benefits are aware of the Ticket to Work program,” said Rep. Costa. “Far too many individuals with disabilities across the San Joaquin Valley and the nation are unaware of the employment services readily available to them. This bill will strengthen outreach from the Social Security Administration and will allow beneficiaries to explore work opportunities without risking their benefits.”
Rep. Sharice Davids said, “Far too often, people who want to work and gain more independence don’t have clear information about the support available to them. This bipartisan bill makes sure Social Scurity actually reaches out to beneficiaries and clearly explains their options, so Kansans with disabilities can explore work and career opportunities without fear of losing the benefits they depend on. By improving awareness, we can help more families build financial stability and dignity through work — without adding cost or bureaucracy. I am glad to work with my Republican colleague, Representative French Hill, on this effort.”
The Ticket to Work program opens doors for eastern North Carolinians and others across the nation by offering training that leads to meaningful new careers and economic stability for their families,” saidCongressman Don Davis. “True potential is unlocked when eligible participants know how to access these impactful training opportunities.”
“Too many Americans with disabilities who want to work and achieve financial independence simply don’t know the Ticket to Work program exists,” saidCongressman Max Miller. “This legislation takes a simple, common-sense step to change that by requiring regular outreach, so eligible beneficiaries are aware of the opportunities and support available to them. Ticket to Work empowers Americans to pursue meaningful employment without risking their benefits, and increasing awareness will help more people gain independence, dignity, and a stronger future. I’m proud to cosponsor this bill to make sure no one is left in the dark about a program designed to help them succeed.”
Rep. Moore said, “The Ticket to Work program exists to give disability beneficiaries access to free vocational rehabilitation, employment, and other work-related support services while maintaining their benefits. Unfortunately, many of the people who could benefit the most from this program don’t know that it exists. I’m excited to work with my friend Chairman French Hill to introduce the Ticket to Work Advertisement Act to require regular advertising for the program, bringing awareness to the opportunities and support available to SSDI beneficiaries.”
Background:
The Ticket to Work (TTW) program was created with bipartisan support as part of an effort to promote work amongst those who receive Social Security disability benefits, such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
The Ticket to Work Advertisement Act requires the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) to advertise the TTW program to beneficiaries at least every six months. SSA has 12 months for implementation.
Increasing awareness of the TTW program is a straightforward, cost-effective step toward improving the TTW program’s impact. Ensuring consistent SSA outreach will help beneficiaries understand and access the opportunities they have and deserve.
What is the Ticket to Work Program?
The TTW program allows beneficiaries ages 18-64 to obtain free employment services, vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, and other support services from approved providers to achieve specific work-related and career goals.
Participation is completely free and voluntary.
The purpose of the TTW program is to help individuals with disabilities experience working while connecting them to support and services they need to succeed in the workplace.
The goal of the TTW program is to help SSDI and SSI beneficiaries who can and want to achieve financial independence.
During the TTW program, participants do NOT lose their disability benefits.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)
MEADVILLE, PA — Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) recognized Phil and Laurie Davis as the first Community Champions of 2026. Phil is the Commander of the Veterans of the Vietnam War Post 52 in Meadville and, together with his wife Laurie, have dedicated themselves to serving veterans in Crawford County.
“Our 16th Congressional District is full of incredible service-minded military veterans and service members, and Phil and Laurie sure exemplify that. I want to thank them for their service for their incredible service to our local veterans and for their years of dedication to our country and to the Crawford County community,” said Rep. Kelly.
Under Phil’s and Laurie’s leadership, The Post has packed boxes and sent them to deployed services members for 25 years. They have held a POW/MIA recognition day vigil and Motorcycle ride every year for over 27 years, and other community and veteran-related events. Additionally, they are one of the only Color Guard that perform Military Honors for veterans that pass away. Phil and Laurie operate these initiatives only by donations and their Saturday Dinners to raise money.
Additionally, Phil served in the United States Army from 1970-1971, during which time he was deployed to Vietnam.
You can read Rep. Kelly’s full remarks about Phil and Laurie in the Congressional Record here.
Learn more about the Veterans of the Vietnam War Post 52 in Meadville here.
BACKGROUND
The Community Champion Award is a citation instituted by the Office of U.S. Representative Mike Kelly in January 2015 to recognize and thank service-minded individuals throughout Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District for selfless and significant contributions to their surrounding communities.
Each winner is presented with an official award plaque from Rep. Kelly’s office, a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol building, and a statement of congratulations entered into the official Congressional Record.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
Washington, D.C. (January 27, 2026)—Today, House Judiciary Committee Democrats demanded Chairman Jim Jordan hold a House Judiciary Committee hearing with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem following the fatal federal agent shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis who were peacefully exercising their First and Second Amendment rights.
The House Judiciary Committee Majority’s own website says that “the Committee’s oversight responsibility for the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security” is “[p]articularly important in our time.” Yet not a single witness from DHS has appeared before the Judiciary Committee during this Congress. “This Committee has devoted years of oversight to alleged First Amendment violations by social media companies and has subpoenaed foreign companies over censorship concerns abroad. Mr. Chairman: look what’s happening right in front of our eyes. Federal agents have shot dead two American citizens in the past two weeks for doing no more than exercising their fully protected rights to protest, observe, and record law enforcement in public,” wrote the Members.
The lawmakers want answers regarding the killings of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an ICU nurse and lawful gun owner who was filming law enforcement activity, and Renée Nicole Good, an unarmed mother of three who was observing an ICE operation from her vehicle.
Immediately following the shootings, Secretary Noem publicly labeled both victims “domestic terrorists” without evidence. But video footage viewed nationwide and verified by multiple news outlets contradicts DHS’s claims and all but proves that the shootings were without any legal justification.
Footage shows Mr. Pretti holding a cell phone when he was tackled by multiple agents and shot repeatedly in the back. Video also appears to show agents removing a firearm from his possession before another agent fired ten shots. Minneapolis Police have confirmed that Mr. Pretti had a valid permit to carry under Minnesota law and no criminal record.
Similarly, video evidence shows that Ms. Good was shot while seated in her car observing an ICE operation. Although DHS claimed she attempted to run over agents, footage shows her steering her car away from the agent who fired three shots into her vehicle.
“The attempted cover-up by DHS requires an inquiry by the House Judiciary Committee. Mr. Chairman, if your commitment to the First and Second Amendments—not to mention the Fifth Amendment’s guarantee of due process—is genuine, as we have always believed it to be, then this Committee cannot look away when federal agents gun down Americans for peacefully exercising their constitutional rights,” wrote the Members.
The lawmakers’ demand comes amid reports that Secretary Noem will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
Washington, D.C. (January 27, 2026)—Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee; Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement; Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government; and Rep. Lucy McBath, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, demanded answers from Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) refusal to investigate the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis and its apparent efforts to obstruct accountability.
“Federal agents have now gunned down and killed two American citizens—Renée Good and Alex Pretti—in Minneapolis. Videos taken by bystanders who observed and documented these killings leave little doubt that there is no legal or moral justification for these cold-blooded homicides. Yet, under your leadership, the Department of Justice (DOJ)—an agency created in 1870 at the height of post-Civil War Reconstruction to enforce the civil rights of all Americans—actively obstructed any investigation into these killings, and instead of defending the civil rights of Americans, DOJ now appears to be covering up the most egregious civil rights offenses and systematically condoning the lawless killing of Americans by agents of the government,” wrote the Ranking Members.
On January 7, Renée Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was killed in her vehicle by masked United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathan Ross. Just two weeks later, on January 24, Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who cared for military veterans, was shot approximately ten times by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents.
Rather than investigating these brutal killings, the Trump Administration has deployed a public smear campaign intended to discredit the victims and their families, including by labeling Ms. Good a “domestic terrorist” and Mr. Pretti an “assassin.” Video evidence recorded by witnesses of both events clearly disproves multiple false claims pushed by senior Administration officials
In a further effort to prevent accountability, DOJ has refused to investigate these unlawful uses of force by federal agents. In the case of Ms. Good’s killing, DOJ leadership overruled career prosecutors and FBI officials who opened a civil rights investigation into Ms. Good’s killing. DOJ instead actually proceeded to open an investigation into Ms. Good’s widow for allegedly “interfering” with an ICE operation—apparently for filming the shooting.
DOJ has also blocked cooperation with state authorities and prevented local law enforcement access to key evidence. In the case of Mr. Pretti’s killing, Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension obtained an emergency court order barring federal officials from destroying or altering evidence, reflecting serious concern about federal interference and the potential loss of critical evidence.
“DOJ’s coverup of these killings did not occur spontaneously or in isolation. Someone affirmatively ordered FBI agents to drop the civil rights investigation into Mr. Ross. Someone affirmatively ordered federal law enforcement to instead investigate Ms. Good’s widow. Someone affirmatively ordered line agents to block state prosecutors from accessing key evidence. Someone is now taking the same actions with regard to the killing of another American citizen,” wrote the Ranking Members.
Judiciary Democrats are demanding that the Attorney General and DOJ produce documents identifying who made these decisions and why, including communications with the White House and Department of Homeland Security. They also seek records related to any investigation, or decision not to investigate, the killing of Mr. Pretti.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Dwight Evans (2nd District of Pennsylvania)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 27, 2026) – Today, Congressman Dwight Evans (PA-03) and his six fellow U.S. House Democrats from Pennsylvania jointly sent a delegation letter to Pennsylvania’s senators urging them both to oppose a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that does not include critical reforms. The letter was also signed by Representatives Brendan Boyle (PA-02), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Summer Lee (PA-12) and Chris Deluzio (PA-17).
Last week, the entire Pennsylvania Democratic delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives voted against an appropriations bill that included funding for DHS. The final vote was 220-207, passing the House chamber with only seven Democratic votes – and none of those seven were from Pennsylvania.
The letter sent to Pennsylvania Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Dave McCormick (R-PA) by today comes as the Senate is set to vote on the spending bill that currently includes DHS funding this week.
In the letter, the seven Pennsylvania House members write, “We urge you to oppose any legislation that provides funding to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) without first securing meaningful, enforceable reforms to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and related DHS agency activity. The DHS Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations bill in front of the Senate for consideration this week does not include such reforms, and we urge you to oppose it. We voted against this bill last weekand ask that you do the same.”
The members continue: “Funding without adequate reform risksendorsing current approaches that undermine public safety and due process, erodeAmerican liberties, and weaken public trust.”
Congressman Evans provided this additional comment: “Senate Republicans can and should separate DHS funding from their budget package — Americans need accountability, not another Republican government shutdown.”
The full text of the letter is available here. The Philadelphia Inquirer piece about the PA Democratic Delegation letter is here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)
Collier County, FL– On Wednesday, January 28, Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Everglades Caucus, will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony commemorating the completion of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project, one of the largest wetland restoration efforts in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).
The Picayune Strand Restoration Project will restore natural water flows over an85-square-mile area(~55,000 acres), improving the area’s hydrology, allowing for the return of more balanced plant communities, increasing aquifer recharge, and sending fresh water to the coastal estuaries in a more natural manner.
Event Details:
WHO:
Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26)
Assistant Secretary of the Army Adam Telle
Major General Jason Kelly, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Colonel Brandon Bowman, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Alexis Lambert, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Drew Bartlett, South Florida Water Management District
Rob Moher, President, Conservancy of Southwest Florida
WHAT:
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for Picayune Strand Restoration Project at Miller Pump Station
WHEN:
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
1:00 p.m. ET
Media availability immediately following ribbon-cutting
WHERE:
Ceremony site at the Miller Pump Station
64thAve SE, Naples FL 34117
United States Army Corps of Engineers Picayune Strand Restoration
Congress authorized the Picayune Strand Restoration Project in 2007 as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).
The South Florida Water Management District expedited construction by filling in and plugging seven miles of the Prairie Canal and completing approximately 25 percent of the road removal.
The Picayune Strand Restoration Project will restore natural water flows over an 85-square-mile area (~55,000 acres).
The project will improve the area’s hydrology, allow for the return of more balanced plant communities, increase aquifer recharge, and send fresh water in a more natural manner to the coastal estuaries.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement in observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day:
“Today, I join in observing International Holocaust Remembrance Day. We cannot afford to forget what Allied troops saw when they liberated the Nazi death camps eighty-one years ago. The Nazis’ industrial murder of 6 million Jews and millions of other victims revealed the darkest side of humanity.
“That oppression did not begin in the camps, however. First, Jews were removed from the civil service, universities, and other institutions. Then, they were stripped of their rights and their property. Eventually, the Nazis confined them to Ghettos. Finally, the Nazis marched innocent men, women, and children through the gates of Auschwitz, Dachau, Treblinka, and more than a thousand other camps across Europe. That evolution of hatred that led to their murder coincided with the death of democracy in Germany.
“At a time when the number of living Holocaust survivors grows ever smaller and the ranks of those who deny the Holocaust and glorify those who perpetrated it sadly grow larger, we each have a duty to combat antisemitism whenever and wherever it appears. We must remember that the Holocaust was borne not only of the Nazis’ virulent fascist ideology but also the world’s failure to stop it from spreading. Above all else, we must resolve never to see that tragedy repeated.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Washington, DC — Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26), Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, introduced a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), to formally overturn the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) recently finalized abortion rule.
House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) co-led the resolution. All Democratic members serving on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, including Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01), Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Rep. Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Rep. Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Rep. Timothy Kennedy (NY-26), Rep. Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03), Rep. Herb Conaway, M.D. (NJ-03), and Rep. Kelly Morrison (MN-03), are original cosponsors of the resolution. The Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), and the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Reproductive Freedom Caucus, Representatives Diana DeGette (CO-01) and Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), are also original cosponsors of the resolution. This effort is also supported by several veterans’ service organizations and a coalition of organizations supporting reproductive freedom.
On December 31, 2025, the Trump administration published a final rule in the Federal Register, effectively ending abortion access at VA, except in very limited life-threatening circumstances. The rule, first proposed in August of 2025, rescinds a Biden-era VA reproductive healthcare regulation that provided veterans access to abortion care in instances of rape, incest, and threat to life or health, and that allowed VA providers to discuss abortion with patients who were experiencing unwanted or high-risk pregnancies and pregnancy complications.
Democrats immediately fought back, with more than 230 Members of Congress joining a September 2, 2025, public comment letter led by Ranking Member Mark Takano and Richard Blumenthal, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Despite this comment letter and the thousands of other public comments submitted in opposition to the proposed rule, VA moved forward without making changes to reflect the concerns of veteran stakeholders, the public, and their elected representatives.
In addition to finalizing its proposed rule, in December 2025 VA also issued an internal memo reinstating a near-total ban on abortions and abortion counseling, with no exceptions in the case of rape, incest, or threat to health. The memo was effective immediately, thereby circumventing the standard 30-day delayed implementation period in the rulemaking process.
The Congressional Review Act is a law that enables Congress to overturn agency regulations. If the joint resolution of disapproval is approved by both chambers of Congress and signed into law by the president (or if Congress overrides a presidential veto), the rule covered by the legislation cannot go into effect or continue to be in effect.
“The Trump administration’s extreme abortion ban puts veterans at risk and prevents doctors from providing the care their patients need,” saidCongresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26), Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health. “House Democrats believe veterans deserve compassionate, comprehensive health care and honest conversations with their doctors — free from political interference. That is why I am leading my Democratic colleagues in introducing this resolution to make clear that this dangerous policy cannot stand. Veterans who survive rape or incest deserve care, not barriers, and doctors should never be silenced when patients are seeking medical guidance. The VA must deliver consistent, comprehensive care to all veterans — guided by medical need and science, not extremist and dangerous ideology.”
“VA’s rule leaves veterans with less access to abortion care than individuals covered by every other federal healthcare program, including the Bureau of Prisons, which covers this essential care in instances of rape, incest, and threat to life,” said Ranking Member Takano (CA-39) of the VA abortion rule.“Veterans fought for our freedoms, and now this administration is stripping them of their freedoms. We trusted them to carry out the missions of our country, but VA no longer trusts them to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions. My fellow Democrats and I will not stand by as VA undoes the critical progress we made during the last administration. I thank Congresswoman Brownley for her leadership on this joint resolution of disapproval.”
“Trump’s Department of Veterans Affairs is ripping abortion care away from our servicewomen. The Trump administration is imposing their own religious views on women veterans who were willing to make the greatest sacrifice to serve our country,” saidDemocratic Women’s Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03). “Remember, reproductive health care is essential to keep women alive during difficult pregnancies, to allow the termination of a pregnancy following rape, and to allow women the freedom to determine how and when to have a family—in essence to give women veterans the freedoms that they were willing to fight for to preserve for our country.”
“Those who fought for our freedoms abroad deserve to have their freedoms respected and needs met at home. Yet, as families across the nation gathered for the holidays, this administration mounted a targeted attack on those veterans,” said Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Reproductive Freedom Caucus. “That was their gift from this President: a dangerous abortion ban, issued quietly overnight. Veterans and their families, not politicians, should be the ones making medical decisions about their bodies and futures. We say no to this abortion ban. We say no to compromising the quality of VA health care in the name of political extremism. And we say no to this sham of a rule.”
“The VA exists to serve all who served, including women in need of abortion counseling in extenuating circumstances,” saidDr. Kyleanne Hunter, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “With nearly 70% of our members overwhelmingly supporting women veterans’ access to care post-Dobbs, IAVA applauds the CRA action taken in both the House and Senate, which would ensure that timely and necessary care is continued.”
“With the stroke of a pen, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) increased the risk of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity by reducing veterans’ access to basic, necessary, and life-saving reproductive health care. The removal of abortion care and counseling places veterans at further risk, particularly women and gender-diverse veterans who have already sacrificed their health in service to this country. These actions are not merely administrative or ideological policy shifts; they are dangerous barriers to essential medical care,” saidLindsay Church, Executive Director of Minority Veterans of America. “To uphold its mission to serve those who have served, the VA must withdraw this policy. Abortion care and counseling are not simply about choice, they are matters of health, human rights, and survival. Preserving access to the full spectrum of reproductive health care is essential to honoring the service, sacrifices, and dignity of women and minority veterans.”
“Veterans were promised care, dignity, and respect when they raised their right hand to serve. This decision breaks that promise. Stripping veterans of access to abortion care and even basic medical counseling is cruel, medically dangerous, and fundamentally dishonest. Veterans, especially women veterans, face higher rates of complicated and high-risk pregnancies because of their service. Denying them full, evidence-based reproductive healthcare is not about protecting life, it is about imposing ideology at the expense of veterans’ health and autonomy. The VA exists to serve veterans, not to make their most personal medical decisions for them,” said Janessa Goldbeck, CEO of Vet Voice Foundation.
“The Department of Veterans Affairs banning reproductive healthcare is a profound betrayal of those who have sacrificed for our country. By eliminating comprehensive healthcare access that veterans have earned, this ban disregards the overwhelming public opposition demonstrated by thousands of comments, many made by Common Defense members. It’s essential that Congress overturn this ban and prioritize the health and well-being of our veterans. Our service members deserve better than this callous erosion of their rights,” saidNaveed Shah, Political Director of Common Defense, a membership organization of progressive US military veterans.
The joint resolution of disapproval is also endorsed by 12 organizations dedicated to protecting the rights and freedoms of our nation’s veterans, including the Modern Military Association of America, Service Women’s Action Network, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Center for Reproductive Rights, Guttmacher Institute, National Council of Jewish Women, National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Power to Decide, Reproductive Freedom for All, and the National Partnership for Women & Families.
“After all that veterans have sacrificed to defend our freedoms, it is appalling to strip them of the right to make their own health care decisions,” said thegroup of endorsers in a joint statement. “We applaud every lawmaker who signed on to this resolution condemning the rule to ban abortion care and counseling at the VA, including in cases of rape or incest, and we urge both chambers to act swiftly to overturn this extreme policy that puts veterans’ health and safety at risk.”
Disabled American Veterans has also endorsed the joint resolution of disapproval.