Excerpt from the full fact sheet:

Current law permits the Department of Defense to provide abortion services at military facilities in cases of life endangerment rape, or incest. However, in the tragic cases of rape or incest, the woman must bear the cost of the procedure herself. This ban adds insult to injury.

• Even the very restrictive Medicaid law provides federal funding for abortion services for low-income women in cases of rape or incest, in addition to life endangerment.
  
  
• Recent reports from the Department of Defense on sexual assault from female cadets and officers demonstrate, sadly, that the current policy fails to acknowledge the reality that some servicewomen face. These reports of rampant sexual assaults committed against women in the military – often by their male colleagues – are appalling. Women serving our country should never have to face the tragedy of a sexual assault, but if they do, they should – at a minimum – be able to receive timely care and support.
  
  
• The Army’s policy statement on sexual assault says, “The Army will treat all victims of sexual assault with dignity, fairness, and respect.” In spite of this clear declaration, rape victims will continue to be denied “fairness and respect” as long the ban on abortion for rape or incest victims remains in place and medical care is denied to those victimized by a criminal act.
  
  
• The funding ban places an undue financial burden on female service members and military dependents and may make some women relutant to seek these medical services or force them to delay the procedure for several weeks. Although legal abortion remains a very safe medical procedure, for each week it is delayed, the risk to the woman's health increases. Making matters worse, evidence shows that victims of sexual assault are likeliest to be among the junior enlisted ranks – in other words, earning the lowest pay, and thus least likely to be able to afford needed medical care (such as abortion services) that the military refuses to provide.
  
  
• This ban further harms the women and families who have volunteered to serve their country, placing yet another obstacle in front of those who have already suffered an unspeakable assault and may wish to exercise their constitutionally protected right to choose.
  
  
• Repealing the current-law ban on federally funded abortion services for victims of rape or incest is one small but important step toward rectifying this unacceptable situation.

Download the fact sheet (PDF)