In a vote of 280-140 taken on December 11, the House of Representatives passed a version of the National Defense Authorization Act that includes a provision blocking healthcare for the transgender children of military service members. If enacted, the bill would see medically necessary care for the children of thousands of military families stripped away.
While the bill, named the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, was initially intended as an authorization for defense spending through next September, GOP leaders inserted the anti-trans provision after bipartisan negotiations were done. It’s buried on page 399: “Medical interventions for the treatment of gender dysphoria that could result in sterilization may not be provided to a child under the age of 18.”During floor debate this week, Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, (D-Pa.), underscored the potential impact of the bill with a message from a military spouse whose family would suffer under a healthcare ban:
“My spouse has proudly served in the Air Force for 22 years, dedicating their life to protecting our country. Over the years, our family has moved across the nation and the world, embracing the challenges and opportunities that military life brings. … Recent legislative efforts to restrict or eliminate access to gender affirming care threaten not only the well-being of my trans child, but also the very values of dignity and respect that our military stands for. This care has been transformative for our child, giving them confidence, joy and a sense of self that we had only glimpsed before. To have this vital care stripped away feels cruel and unjust. For lawmakers to target military families, families who already sacrifice so much for our nation, only compounds the pain. My spouse has given 22 years to the service of this country, and now it feels as though the country is turning its back on us.”
In response to the addition of the anti-transgender provision, Rep. Adam Smith, (D-Wash.), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, took the extraordinary step of voting against the legislation that he had initially helped craft. In his statement announcing his opposition to the bill, Smith said: “Blanketly denying health care to people who need it, just because of a biased notion against transgender people, is wrong.”