US defense bill strips trans healthcare from kids of military staff

The US Senate passed the bill – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year – This would increase annual military spending to $895bn (£712.5bn).

However, the provision also includes a provision that would prevent military personnel from providing gender-affirming care to transgender children.

This is the latest version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), an annual law that outlines military spending and budgets.

The NDAA has failed to pass Congress since it was first introduced more than 60 years ago.

In addition to raising pay for military personnel and providing significant funding for new battleships, the bill would prevent Tricare, the military’s health care program for active duty personnel, from providing “medical interventions” to people under the age of one. It also includes anti-trans provisions. 18 “For the treatment of gender dysphoria that may lead to sterilization.”

Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a lesbian Democrat, said she has voted for the NDAA in the past, but was unable to do so this year because of the regulations.

“It’s completely wrong to put this in this bill and take away the freedom of service members to make decisions for their families,” she said. “It is unfortunate that some of our colleagues decided to force this harmful clause into place. Otherwise, I would have proudly supported it.”

The bill’s passage comes just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House, promising to reintroduce a ban on transgender people serving in the U.S. military “from day one.”

President Trump’s first ban on transgender military service was imposed in 2019 but overturned by President Joe Biden in 2021.

“Congress is using the must-pass annual defense spending bill as a way to deny health care coverage,” said James Black, chief executive of the nonprofit teen suicide prevention group The Trevor Project. It’s totally unfortunate.” For transgender youth whose parents are in the military.

“This provision is blatant discrimination, denying essential medical care to military families with transgender children while allowing all other military families access to the exact same care. decisions should be made between families, young people and health care providers, not governments.

“Keeping military families from receiving medically necessary care is a betrayal of our country’s promise to our military, including their freedom to decide what is best for their health and well-being.” It denies the very freedoms that they risk their lives to protect that belong to their children.

“It’s understandable that people who don’t know a transgender person personally have questions about what it means to be transgender or how health care for transgender youth works. “But forcibly imposed by a small group of lawmakers violates American values ​​of fairness and service.” A typically bipartisan ban on essential health care for thousands of military families The idea is to include it in the legislation that must be passed. ”

The Trevor Project called on lawmakers to listen to affected military families and oppose further bans on trans medicine.

The Modern Military Association of America, a group representing LGBTQ+ service members and veterans, called the bill’s approval “a direct attack on military families and a betrayal of our country’s promise to our service members.”

Rachel Brannaman, executive director of the association, said: said: “This federal ban puts countless already vulnerable families in a precarious legal, economic, and logistical position. The NDAA includes increased pay, access to child care, and more. However, these benefits will be canceled for families who are forced to pay for necessary medical care and transportation costs out of pocket.

“A state-by-state approach to basic human rights and access to health care is fundamentally at odds with the realities of military life. Unlike other Americans, military families don’t have the luxury of choosing where they live.”

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