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Today, Reps. Susan Davis (D-Calif.), Robert D. Andrews (D-N.J.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) and Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) stood up for U.S. servicewomen, and submitted an amendment to the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act that would end the unconscionable policy of denying rape survivors serving in the military health coverage for abortion care. The all-powerful House of Representatives Committee on Rules will decide whether this amendment 鈥� protecting the health and rights of U.S. servicewomen 鈥� deserves to get a vote.

Sexual assault in the armed services is at crisis levels. Tragically, we see of servicewomen being attacked by their own colleagues. In the fiscal year 2010, according to the , 3,158 military sexual assaults were reported, many of which were reports of rape. As DOD officials have stated, even 鈥�,鈥� but the above number 鈥� which is in the thousands 鈥� barely scratches the surface. Most servicewomen who have experienced sexual violence the incident. Researchers estimate that up to one-third of women experience an attempted or completed rape during their military service.

In the face of this epidemic, federal law denies servicewomen and military families coverage for abortion care, even in cases of rape or incest. By contrast, the federal bans on abortion coverage for women enrolled in Medicaid, disabled women enrolled in Medicare, federal employees (other than members of the armed services), women who receive health care through the Indian Health Service, and women in federal prisons, all include exceptions for rape survivors. (The only other coverage restriction that doesn鈥檛 include a rape exception is the ban on abortion coverage for another group of women serving our country 鈥� those in the Peace Corps.) Even extreme and unprecedented anti-choice bills pending in Congress include exceptions for rape and incest.

Every woman should have the health care coverage she needs, regardless of how she pays for it. At the very least our military women deserve the same access to care as all of the other women who get their health insurance through the federal government.

As Undersecretary of Defense Clifford Stanley , 鈥渢he American public should rightfully expect that when their...daughters raise their right hand to serve our great nation, they do so in a culture and environment where dignity, respect and protection prevail.鈥�

U.S. servicewomen put their lives on the line for us every day. We owe it to them to fight for their dignity and respect their choices. Thank you Reps. Davis, Andrews, DeGette, Maloney, Sanchez and Slaughter for acting to correct this injustice.

Tell your representatives that this important issue deserves a vote 鈥� it鈥檚 time to defend the rights of the women who defend us.