The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced Friday that abortion counseling services and, in some cases, abortions, will be offered to veterans at their federal health facilities cross the nation.

In a press release, the VA stated they submitted a final interim rule to the Federal Register that would allow the VA to provide abortion services like counseling and abortions when a pregnant veteran’s life is at risk or if the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest. 

This rulemaking serves as notice that all VA employees, including health care professionals who provide care and VA employees who facilitate that health care, such as VA employees in administrative positions that schedule abortion procedures and VA employees who provide transportation to the veteran or CHAMPVA beneficiary to the VA facility for reproductive health care, may not be held liable under State or local law or regulation for reasonably performing their Federal duties.

The interim rule notes, “As abortion bans come into force across the country, veterans in many States are no longer assured access to abortion services in their communities, even when those services are needed.”

Under this rule the VA will decided on a case-by-case basis as to whether the pregnancy endangers the pregnant veteran’s life  to carry to term. “In cases of rape or incest, self-reporting from a Veteran or VA beneficiary will constitute sufficient evidence that an act of rape or incest occurred.”

This rule will be open for comments for 30 days after publication.