The Biden administration continues to flout the rule of law.
But U.S. Rep. Greg Steube and other GOP lawmakers are trying to hold the executive branch accountable.
The Sarasota Republican last week joined 44 other GOP lawmakers in issuing a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough demanding that the VA abide by the Supreme Court ruling overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision on abortion.
The VA has said that it will allow abortions in its facilities, especially in red states that want to restrict or outlaw the procedure. The Biden administration is giving into demands of radical abortion fans, such as Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who has argued that abortions should be allowed on federal property.
In the letter, Steube and the others expressed their “very strong opposition” to the VA’s decision, issued Sept. 1, to permit abortion services “in a manner that violates the laws of the land.”
“A federal agency is permitted to publish an interim final rule such as this only when it has ‘good cause’ to do before first publishing a proposed rule as is normally required. It is incredibly disturbing to us that this rule publication comes out in apparent response to the recent Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling,” the lawmakers noted.
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“The Supreme Court rightfully overturned the misguided Roe v. Wade decision and returned the issue of abortion to the American people to decide through state legislatures. If this SCOTUS ruling is the basis for your alleged ‘good cause’ for issuing the interim final rule, your Department is bypassing regular rulemaking processes as part of a blatant political response to a Supreme Court decision, which is wholly unacceptable and inappropriate.”
They added that the VA is “knowingly” violating current federal law, as outlines in the Hyde Amendment, which restricts federal funding of abortions, as well as the 1992 Veterans Health Care Act, which “explicitly” prohibits the VA from providing abortion services.
“Make no mistake: your Department’s decision to expand and promote abortion services – ‘regardless of state restrictions’ – is blatantly illegal. You must reverse course immediately, or we will be forced to take further action to hold your Department accountable for this overreach,” the lawmakers added.
“Despite the false narrative surrounding the Dobbs decision, conservative Americans are actively working to protect both the unborn child and the expectant mother.”
The lawmakers point out that even the “most restrictive” anti-abortion laws now in effect include exceptions to save the life of the mother, as well as cases of ectopic pregnancies and other life-threatening situations.
“In addition, there are thousands of crisis pregnancy centers across the United States who provide support, counseling, and life-affirming medical services to women in need,” they argued.
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“Furthermore, your misguided decision is using taxpayer dollars to conduct this heinous action, which is a direct attack on the consciences of countless Americans and goes against decades of precedent prohibiting taxpayer-funded abortions. The VA’s interim final rule is obviously another attempt by the Biden Administration to circumvent the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs and disregard the wishes of the majority of American voters. We demand that you rescind this rule immediately, and we request that you provide your Department’s response by September 15, 2022.”
In an email to constituents on Sunday, Steube noted, “The Biden Administration is attempting to sidestep the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision by permitting the VA to provide abortions, regardless of state law. This rule is blatantly illegal.”
Besides Steube, other Florida GOP lawmakers who signed the letter include Reps. Kat Cammack, Daniel Webster, Gus Bilirakis, and Brian Mast.
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