EQCA - Equality California

12/23/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/23/2024 15:28

Equality California on Senate Passage of Federal Defense Spending Bill with Anti-Trans Amendments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 23, 2024

CONTACT: Jorge Reyes Salinas, Equality California
PHONE: (213) 355-3057/MOBILE: (213) 355-3057/EMAIL: press@eqca.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Equality California released the following statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang following today's vote on the annual spending bill for the U.S. Department of Defense in the U.S. Senate, which contains an anti-transgender amendment that would ban access to essential healthcare for military families:

"We are disappointed to see the Senate pass a National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that contains a deeply harmful provision inserted by far-right extremists that could force service members to choose between remaining on active duty or ensuring their children receive essential medical care.

This provision will ban access to medically necessary healthcare for transgender dependents under 18. Our military families are just trying to get their children the medical care they need-care that the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and every other leading U.S. medical professional association support.

When a service member is deployed, they should have the assurance that their family is safe and supported. Denying these families access to medically necessary care is nothing short of a betrayal of their courage and sacrifice.

President Biden has consistently demonstrated his unwavering support for transgender youth and their families. He has stood against attacks on the transgender community and vetoed harmful legislation that seeks to undermine their rights. We urge him to act decisively again and veto this harmful provision in the NDAA.

We thank those members of the Senate who spoke out against the politicization of our service members' families and those who voted against the NDAA for those reasons."

###

Equality California is the nation's largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org