Senate's defense bill now contains gender-affirming care restrictions
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Sen. Joe Manchin in Washington, D.C., last month. Photo: Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The ACLU on Wednesday criticized an amendment added to defense policy legislation that would restrict gender-affirming care, calling it "a dangerous and discriminatory attack on transgender members of the armed forces."
Why it matters: If approved, the amendment would mean that government insurance would not cover gender affirming surgeries for soldiers and nearly all gender-affirming care for their children under 18, including hormones and puberty blockers.
Driving the news: Both amendments were passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee in a 13-12 vote, with Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) joining Republicans to approve the language.
Zoom in: The amendment, which lawmakers added to the Senate's version of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) last month and made public Monday evening, would ban the military from covering surgeries for transgender troops.
- The draft bill includes language that would prevent the Defense Department's health plan from paying for the children of transgender military members to access hormone therapy, puberty blockers and "any other medical intervention for the treatment of gender dysphoria that could result in sterilization."
What they're saying: "This is a dangerous affront to the rights and freedom of transgender servicemembers with no financial, legal, political, or medical justification," Ian Thompson of the ACLU said in a statement.
- "It is absolutely essential for the Senate majority to ensure that these devastating health care restrictions are removed from the National Defense Authorization Act," Thompson added.
- Representatives for Manchin's office did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
Where it stands: The Democrat-controlled Senate still has to vote on the NDAA's language.
Zoom out: The House version of the defense policy legislation faced pushback from Democrats over a slew of amendments related to DEI programs, abortion, medical treatment of transgender troops and other Republican-backed culture war issues, Axios' Juliegrace Brufke reports.
Flashback: Last year, House Democrats fought back against such policy riders.
Go deeper: House passes defense bill loaded with culture war amendments
