Senate Passes Stabenow, Udall Measure to Review Health Services for Military Women

The Senate today passed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015 (NDAA), which includes a provision authored by U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Mark Udall that will review whether women in the military have access to quality health services. The Stabenow-Udall amendment to the NDAA will require the Government Accountability Office to conduct a comprehensive review of both the access to, and quality of women's health services for active servicewomen and other women, including military spouses. The review will include a specific focus on maternity care and quality measure standards. Once the review is completed, Congress will receive recommendations about how to improve health services for military women living in the United States and abroad.

"No one deserves quality care more than our brave men and women in uniform," said Stabenow. "Whether it's preventive care, mental health care, or when a new baby is being welcomed into the family, women must be able to trust that military health services are able to provide for their unique needs. This measure will serve as an important first step toward making sure that the military focuses on issues women face when it comes to finding quality health services."

"The women in our armed forces risk everything to keep our nation safe, and we owe them the highest quality health care our nation can provide," Udall said. "This bipartisan proposal directs the GAO to analyze the health care services available to military women in order to ensure that they are receiving the best possible services and quality control. Our military women and families deserve no less."

The NDAA now heads to President Obama's desk for his signature.