Banned abortion services at overseas military facilities, with exceptions only for rape, incest or if the woman's life is at risk. This discriminatory policy forces women to delay the procedure until they can arrange for home leave, or turn to local (and often illegal and unsafe) abortion providers.

 The Bush administration has failed to respond adequately to allegations of sexual assault in the armed services and at military academies. Congress had to intervene and mandate that an independent commission be created to review allegations of assault at the Air Force Academy.

 Stands beside the Pentagon policy that bars women from serving in "direct ground combat," regardless of their qualifications.

 Allowed the charter of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) to expire and then filled only 12 of 35 open committee positions. Also gave the Secretary of Defense control over DACOWITS’ agenda.

John Kerry:

As a senator in 1998, voted against separate basic training for men and women in the military.

Kerry testified against the "don't ask, don't tell" policy before the Senate Armed Services Committee in 1993, drawing a parallel between discrimination against gays in the military and discrimination against women and people of color in the military. Those who would ban gays from serving in the military, he said, were "heavily weighted by licensed hate, by licensed fear, by licensed confusion, by licensed misunderstanding, and even by licensed ignorance."

Ralph Nader:

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