CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Friday asked Rep. Nancy Mace (RS.C.) why she had urged her fellow Republicans to “stop being assholes to women.” Support for a House of Representatives amendment to block a Department of Defense abortion policy.
Earlier that day, the chamber passed the National Defense Authorization Act 2024 with an amendment that would reverse the Pentagon policy that reimburses travel expenses for military personnel stationed in states that prohibit abortion but wish to undergo the procedure. A compromise on the final legislation is available expected after the Senate passed its own version of the bill.
Mace who voted for the NDAA in the House of Representatives on Thursday sent her party a blunt message regarding the amendment.
“If we’re going to show America that we can come together and that we care about women, we have to stop being assholes to women,” she said said CNN’s Manu Raju. “We need to stop targeting women and do the things that really make a difference.”
On a show on The Source, Collins asked Mace about her voice.
“You said yesterday – and I’m quoting you now – that your party ‘must stop being assholes for women’.” Why did you vote for it today?” asked the CNN anchor.
“I want to be consistent about military policy and travel – because that’s very specific to travel. The military does not pay for abortion services at all. But that was closely related to travel,” replied Mace, who previously warned that her party would suffer from support for strict abortion measures in 2024.
“And the military will not reimburse travel expenses for elected procedures in any other case. I did not like the idea of this amendment. These are not issues I think we should be voting on right now without thinking about what we can do to protect women and show that we are pro-women, which has largely frustrated me over the last seven months. ”
Collins later asked whether Mace thought it was “fair” that a military member in upstate New York had “more access to abortion services and reproductive health options” than a military member in Texas, who would have to travel to obtain such care.
“Nothing herein would prohibit a woman from leaving the state to follow the laws of the state,” Mace said, referring to the legislation.
“Nothing would stop her from doing that. There are no limits to your travels.”
Watch Collins’ discussion with Mace below: