Democrats Introduce Bill to Protect Transgender Dependents of Active Duty Service Members

House Democrats introduced a new bill Tuesday that will protect transgender dependents of active duty service members as a way to ensure their guardians or family members are not stationed in locations that place limitations on gender-affirming health care and treatments.

The bill titled, H.R.3672, sponsored by Congressman Jimmy Panetta and over three dozen other lawmakers, aims to prevent the Defense Department from relocating service members with transgender children and dependents to states or countries with discriminatory health care laws in place.

“Despite the progress that we have made in our fight for LGBTQ equality, service members and their transgender dependents continue to face hurdles that threaten their development,” said Congressman Panetta in a press statement. 

Congressman Jim McGovern, chair of the House Rules Committee said, "There is no place for discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in our military – and that includes military families."

"[The bill] protects parents from having to choose between their child and their career. No parent should have to do that and no child should ever feel like a burden. This bill is the love the LGBTQ children and their families need,” added Amanda Brewer, a U.S. Army spouse, and parent of a transgender dependent.

This bill comes as dozens of lawmakers are voting on legislation that would threaten transgender health rights. Most recently, the governors of Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and West Virgina have signed bills into law to ban transgender student-athletes from competition on female sports teams.

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