House votes to allow troops to be used for border security

The House began its Defense authorization debate Wednesday by tackling potential use of the military in homeland security activities and the availability of abortions at military hospitals overseas.

House members approved the amendment offered by Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Va., to authorize the Defense Department to assign members of the active-duty military to assist the Homeland Security Department in protecting the U.S. border.

The amendment passed 231-191, with Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Ga., suggesting that if the United States can deploy its troops around the world, it should be able to use them to secure its borders.

Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, argued that "our military is already stretched way too thin." If Congress wants to patrol U.S. borders, Reyes said, "Let's provide the money and hire and train the border patrol and customs agents to do the job right."

The House rejected, 221-202, the amendment offered by Rep. Susan Davis, D-Calif., to repeal the current ban on servicewomen and female military dependents from obtaining abortions at overseas military hospitals even if they pay for them with their own funds.

Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., supported the amendment, arguing that current law "denies equal rights to servicewomen just when they need it most."

Kirk said women in uniform should have rights equal to those of civilians, and that "women in uniform should have more than equal rights when they are out there protecting the frontiers of freedom."

Opposition to the amendment was led by Rep. Jim Ryun, R-Kan., who said it would "simply turn our military hospitals overseas into abortion clinics." Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., said "our military doctors our supposed to protect lives of our soldiers, not take the lives of babies."

The House continued debate Wednesday evening on further amendments, although no roll call votes were expected until Thursday, when debate will resume.