Page 3 - aruba-today-20221021

A3
U.S. NEWS Friday 21 OctOber 2022

Pentagon to provide funds, help for troops seeking abortions

By TARA COPP rect each military base to
Associated Press publicly display what re-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The productive heath care sup-
Pentagon will provide port is available for service
travel funds and support members and their depen-
for troops and their depen- dents, extend the time in
dents who seek abortions which a service member
but are based in states must report a pregnancy to
where they are now illegal, commanders to 20 weeks
according to a new de- and provide additional
partment policy released protections for defense
Thursday. The military will health care providers who
also increase privacy pro- furnish abortion services.
tections for those seeking Under federal law, the
care. Pentagon’s health care
The order issued by Defense system can provide abor-
Secretary Lloyd Austin out- tions only in cases of rape
lines the rights and protec- or incest or when a moth-
tions service members and er’s life is in danger. That
their dependents will have doesn’t change under the
regardless of where they new policy. The funds the
are based, which was a key military would provide ser-
concern of troops after the vice members would cover
Supreme Court overturned transportation only; they
Roe v. Wade in June. Pentagon spokesman U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder speaks during a media briefing at the would not pay for abortion
Pentagon, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022, in Washington.
Access to abortion has be- Associated Press services that are not cov-
come a central issue in the ered by federal law.
midterm elections. Presi- within their borders. In the tagon in June, when, days The Pentagon has also Attorney Natalie Khawam,
dent Joe Biden promised months since, abortion has after the Supreme Court been concerned that the who represented the fam-
this week that the first bill been banned or sharply decision, the Pentagon Dobbs decision could af- ily of slain U.S. soldier Van-
he sends to Capitol Hill next restricted in more than a said it would continue to fect recruitment and reten- essa Guillén, whose body
year will be one that writes dozen states. allow medical leave for ser- tion as service members or was found last year outside
abortion protections into The new military policy vice members who need- potential recruits weighed the boundary of Fort Hood,
law, if Democrats control sets guidelines so that lo- ed to travel out of state to the risk that they would be Texas, said the policy is part
enough seats in Congress cal commanders aren’t al- get abortions but noted it assigned to states where of a continued effort by
to pass it. lowed to influence whether needed to review the court abortions are illegal. Many the Pentagon to address a
The high court ruling in the service members get ac- ruling and subsequent state of the Pentagon’s major military culture that has not
Dobbs v. Jackson case cess to care or face a cul- laws to see if further guid- military bases are located been supportive of female
stripped away women’s ture where they or their ance would be necessary. in states including Texas service members. Guillén’s
constitutional protections dependents do not come Austin directed the services and Florida where anti- death led to sweeping
for abortion and left it to forward out of fear of re- to implement the new poli- abortion laws are now in changes as to how sexual
states to determine wheth- percussions. It builds on an cy by the end of this calen- place. harassment and assault are
er the procedure is legal initial reaction by the Pen- dar year. The new guidelines also di- addressed in the military.q

Panel votes to add COVID shots to recommended vaccinations

By MIKE STOBBE sions are almost always to prevent disease. school attendance, but than 12.
AP Medical Writer adopted by the CDC di- State and local officials of- local officials don’t always Because the shots have al-
NEW YORK (AP) — COV- rector and then sent to ten look to the lists in mak- adopt every recommen- ready been recommend-
ID-19 shots should be add- doctors as part of the gov- ing decisions about vac- dation. ed under emergency au-
ed to the lists of recom- ernment’s advice on how cination requirements for Flu and HPV shots, for ex- thorization for Americans
mended vaccinations for ample, aren’t required by older than 6 months, how-
kids and adults, a panel of many schools. ever, the decision makes
U.S. vaccine experts said Usually, vaccines placed no real difference, federal
Thursday. on the schedules are fully officials say.
The panel’s unanimous licensed, but that has not Earlier this week, the same
decision has no immedi- yet happened for every expert panel voted unani-
ate effect COVID-19 shots COVID-19 vaccine prod- mously to add COVID-19
already are recommend- uct in every age group. shots to a program that
ed for virtually all Ameri- COVID-19 shots initially provides vaccines at no
cans. Rather, it would put were approved under cost to children who might
the shots on the annually emergency authoriza- not otherwise be vacci-
updated, formal lists of tion measures starting in nated.
what vaccinations doc- late 2020. Over time, the This is in preparation for the
tors should be routinely government has licensed day in the future when the
offering to their patients, many of the shots, but full federal government transi-
alongside shots for polio, A nurse prepares a syringe of a COVID-19 vaccine at an approval has not yet hap- tions out of paying for all
measles and hepatitis. inoculation station in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, July 19, 2022. pened for booster doses or COVID-19 shots, as it has
The expert panel’s deci- Associated Press for shots for kids younger been doing.q