The provision was included on a $895 billion defense policy bill
A $895 billion defense policy bill was approved by the House on Wednesday, which included a controversial provision prohibiting the military’s health program, TRICARE, from covering gender-affirming care for transgender children of U.S. service members.
Known as the National Defense Authorization Act, the bill authorizes funding for the Defense Department for fiscal year 2025. The vote was 281 to 140 — 200 Republicans and 81 Democrats voted yes, while 124 Democrats and 16 Republicans voted no. The legislation will next head to the Senate.
Although the bill is traditionally bipartisan, some Democratic lawmakers pushed back against the inclusion of the ban on transgender care for children of military members, which states medical intervention “for the treatment of gender dysphoria that could result in sterilization may not be provided to a child under the age of 18.”
Democrats have accused Speaker Mike Johnson, who backed the provision, of using the measure as a way of garnering conservative support.
“Speaker Johnson is pandering to the most extreme elements of his party to ensure that he retains his speakership. In doing so, he has upended what had been a bipartisan process,” said Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington in a statement.
“House and Senate Armed Services Committee Democrats and Republicans worked across the aisle to craft a defense bill that invests in the greatest sources of America’s strength: service members and their families, science and technology, modernization, and a commitment to allies and partners,” said Smith. “However, the final text includes a provision prohibiting medical treatment for military dependents under the age of 18 who are diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Blanketly denying health care to people who clearly need it, just because of a biased notion against transgender people, is wrong.”
The uproar surrounding the provision has overshadowed other bipartisan provisions of the bill, including improved housing for military families and a 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted service members. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have touted the bill for bolstering U.S. defenses against China, and boosting investment in advancing military technology.
