2023: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted To Repeal A 2022 Memorandum
Regarding Traveling For Reproductive Care. In September 2023,
according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the
"motion to instruct conferees on the part of the House to disagree to
section 716, which would repeal an October 2022 Defense Department
memorandum concerning traveling for reproductive health care." The vote
was on a motion to instruct conferees. The House rejected the motion by
a vote of 205 to 214. [House Vote 400,
9/20/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 9/20/23;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
2670]
- The 2022 Memorandum Ensured Service Members And Their Families
Access To Reproductive Care. According to the Congressional
Research Service, "On October 20, 2022, the Secretary of Defense
issued a memorandum directing actions to ensure that servicemembers
and their families 'can access reproductive health care and [DOD]
health care providers can operate effectively.' The memo directed
the department to establish travel and transportation allowances for
servicemembers and their dependents to obtain noncovered
reproductive health care that is unavailable in the 'local area of a
Service member's permanent duty station,' and establish a
reimbursement program to assist a DOD health care provider with
obtaining a professional license in another state 'in order to
support the performance of their official duties.' Section 716 would
repeal the October 20, 2022, DOD memorandum and prohibit DOD from
using funds to implement the memorandum or a potential successor
memorandum. The provision would also amend 10 U.S.C. §1093 to
prohibit the Secretary of Defense from paying for or reimbursing
fees or expenses for DOD health care providers to obtain a health
care license in a state for the purpose of providing abortion
services." [Congressional Research Service,
[9/6/23](https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN12236#:~:text=On October 20%2C 2022%2C the,travel and transportation allowances for)]