Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) will support the confirmation of Chuck Hagel to the position of secretary of defense after a meeting Thursday with the former Nebraska senator assured Shaheen on a number of issues, particularly that Hagel would fully implement new abortion coverage policies for women in the military which she pushed for in the Senate.
“I was also encouraged by Senator Hagel’s willingness to address remaining inequalities faced by female service members and LGBT military families,” Shaheen said in a statement released Thursday after the meeting. “Specifically, I was pleased he committed to bring the Department’s reproductive health care policies in line with federal standards by fully implementing the Shaheen Amendment and that he agreed to push for the elimination of restrictions on LGBT military family benefits…”
