Last week On Base reported on new DOD policies to pay for travel and leave time for service members who have to travel to another state for abortions or IVF treatments.

Republicans accuse the administration of making the issue political, as Military Times reported.

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), a member of the Appropriations Committee, said in a tweet that it amounts to using “taxpayer funds for abortion tourism,” suggesting it violates the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funding for abortions. The new policy does not pay for services, just for travel and leave time.

House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) hinted his committee will address the policy.

“The Biden administration chose to make the Department of Defense an abortion travel agency over a lethal fighting force,” Rogers said in a statement. “As I have repeatedly told the political leaders of this administration, taking this action jeopardizes congressional authorizations for our warfighters.”

DOD photo by Chad J. McNeeley