The Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act, a crucial defense policy bill, on Wednesday. This bill includes a controversial provision banning gender-affirming care for transgender children of service members, a move pushed by Republicans that has sparked outrage among Democrats.
The legislation, a result of bipartisan compromise, will now be sent to President Joe Biden after being approved by the GOP-led House last week. The White House has not indicated whether Biden will sign the bill into law.
One of the key provisions of the bill is a ban on TRICARE, the military's health program, covering gender-affirming care for transgender children of service members. This particular provision has overshadowed other bipartisan aspects of the bill, such as a proposed 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members.
The National Defense Authorization Act, which sets the policy agenda and authorizes funding for the Department of Defense annually, typically garners strong bipartisan support. However, this year, some Democrats have expressed opposition to the bill due to the ban on gender-affirming care.
While some Democrats have vowed not to support the legislation because of this provision, others have indicated that they will still vote for the bill despite their disagreement with the ban. A group of Democratic senators, led by Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, attempted to remove the ban through an amendment, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
Gender-affirming care is a comprehensive approach that includes medically necessary and evidence-based practices to assist individuals in transitioning safely to their affirmed gender. This issue has become highly divisive, with some Republican candidates making it a focal point in the recent election, while certain Democrats have acknowledged the need for the party to address cultural issues more effectively following disappointing election results in November.
