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Today, Congressman Bob Latta, along with 179 of his pro-life colleagues, sent a letter to Senate and House leadership.  The letter urges House and Senate leadership to reject an amendment to the  FY2011 National Defense Authorization Act offered by Senator Roland Burris (D-IL) to strike Section 1093(b) of Title 10 of the US Code.  The amendment, which  passed by a vote of 15-12, will permit the performance of abortions in both domestic and overseas military facilities.   

A similar amendment to allow abortions in overseas military facilities was most recently offered in the House in 2006 when it failed by a vote of 191-237.  The Burris amendment is more expansive than the 2006 amendment because it allows abortion on both domestic and overseas military bases.
 
Current law prohibits the performance of abortion by Department of Defense medical personnel or in Department of Defense medical facilities except when the life of the mother is at risk or when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. There is no distinction in this policy between military facilities within the United States and those overseas.  A separate provision prohibits the use of DOD funds for abortion.