WASHINGTON – Sens. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said they introduced legislation designed to help military women who are victims of rape.

The legislation would lift the restriction prohibiting the Department of Defense from paying for abortions when victims become pregnant.

“Any victim facing the horror of rape or sexual assault needs every option and support made available to them,” said Snowe. “This bill [would remove] a barrier under current law that prohibits the Department of Defense from providing access to critical reproductive health services for our troops.”

According to a study by the Iowa Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 30 percent of female U.S. military veterans report having been raped or suffered a rape attempt during their military service.

Current law permits the Defense Department to perform abortions in its own facilities in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest. However, in cases of rape or incest, the woman must bear the cost of the procedure.