Protecting Service Members and Military Families’ Access to Reproductive Care Act of 2023

Protecting Service Members and Military Families' Access to Reproductive Care Act of 2023

This bill provides statutory authority for a Department of Defense (DOD) policy that provides for the granting of an administrative absence at the request of a member of the Armed Forces for purposes of receiving non-covered reproductive health care or to accompany a spouse or other dependent who receives non-covered reproductive health care. Under the bill, non-covered reproductive health care means care not authorized to be performed at a DOD facility, including an abortion or assisted reproductive technology (e.g., in vitro fertilization).

An administrative absence granted for such purposes may not exceed 21 days.

DOD is authorized to prescribe regulations under this bill, which must provide that (1) no additional requirements may be imposed on a member requesting an administrative absence for non-covered reproductive health care, and (2) DOD and the approval authority of a member must prioritize the privacy of the member (or dependent).

The bill also authorizes DOD to provide an allowance for travel expenses in connection with a member's or dependent's travel to receive non-covered reproductive health care.

Bill 118 s 1610, also known as the Protecting Service Members and Military Families’ Access to Reproductive Care Act of 2023, aims to ensure that members of the military and their families have access to comprehensive reproductive health care services. The bill recognizes the unique challenges faced by service members and their families, including frequent relocations and deployments, and seeks to address these challenges by expanding access to reproductive care services.

Specifically, the bill would require the Department of Defense to provide comprehensive reproductive health care services to all service members and their dependents, including access to contraception, fertility treatments, and abortion services. The bill also includes provisions to ensure that service members and their families are able to access these services without facing discrimination or barriers based on their military status.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions to improve education and awareness of reproductive health care services among service members and their families, as well as measures to ensure that military health care providers are trained to provide these services in a culturally competent and sensitive manner. Overall, the Protecting Service Members and Military Families’ Access to Reproductive Care Act of 2023 seeks to ensure that members of the military and their families have access to the full range of reproductive health care services they need to make informed decisions about their reproductive health.