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The United States Senate has approved an annual defense bill that incorporates a provision prohibiting the use of gender-transitioning drugs or procedures on military children enrolled in the Pentagon’s kindergarten through 12th grade school system. The passage of the $895.2 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was achieved through an 85-15 vote, with three Republican senators and 10 Democratic senators, along with one independent senator, voting against the bill.
BREAKING: The Senate just passed the $895 million defense bill which restricts "gender affirming care" for children of servicemembers. pic.twitter.com/FsL0euyoIP
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) December 18, 2024
This development follows the House of Representatives’ previous approval of the NDAA by a vote of 281-140. As reported earlier by Breitbart News, the provision within the 1,800-page NDAA specifically bars coverage under TRICARE, the healthcare program for service members, for “certain medical procedures for children that could result in sterilization.” The bill states, “Affirming hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and other 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.”
Prior to the Senate’s passage of the bill, several Democratic senators, including Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and John Fetterman (D-PA), had attempted to introduce an amendment that would “remove language that would strip away servicemembers’ parental rights to access medically necessary health care for their transgender children.” However, according to CNN’s reporting, this push for an amendment to the NDAA was unsuccessful.
Yes, it was defeated. But what the hell was “gender affirming care” for minors doing in a defense budget anyway? And how much similar crap is in the 1,500-pg spending bill?
A few weeks of partial govt shutdown before DOGE comes to town might be worth it. https://t.co/TgLx0MFEn1— David Asman (@DavidAsmanfox) December 18, 2024
“The brave men and women in uniform who serve our nation at home and abroad deserve to know that our country fully supports them as they and their families sacrifice to defend our country,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) stated. “While I do not support every provision in this bipartisan compromise—including MAGA Republicans’ abysmal prohibition of gender-affirming care coverage for our military families—this bill includes a well-deserved and substantial pay raise for our troops and several of my provisions to support our troops and military families, improve readiness and enhance strategic partnerships.”
