Should Congress reject the transgender military service ban?
Bill Summary
This resolution expresses opposition to President Trump’s ban openly transgender individuals from serving in the Armed Forces. The bill states that scientific arguments behind the ban are flawed and encourages the Department of Defense to keep the Armed Forces inclusive.
Sponsor: Rep. Joe Kennedy (Democrat, Massachusetts, District 4)
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Opponents say
• “DOD’s proposed policy is not a ban on service by transgender persons. It is critical that DOD be permitted to implement personnel policies that it determines are necessary to ensure the most lethal and combat-effective fighting force in the world. DOD's proposed policy is based on professional military judgment and will ensure that the U.S. armed forces remain the most lethal and combat-effective fighting force in the world.” - Air Force Lt. Col. Carla Gleason, Pentagon spokeswoman
• “Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming … victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.” - President Trump
• “Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming … victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.” - President Trump
Proponents say
• “By reflecting our nation’s diversity and decency, our military exports our values and establishes our standing as a beacon of hope around the world… When our troops step forward and volunteer to defend our safety and security at home and abroad, they do not restrict their service by color, creed or gender identity. With this bigoted ban, President Trump questioned the loyalty, courage and compassion of not only transgender servicemembers, but all of those who serve by their side.” - Rep. Joe Kennedy (Democrat, Massachusetts, District 4)
• “There is no medically valid reason to exclude transgender individuals from military service. Transgender individuals are serving their country with honor, and they should be allowed to continue doing so. According to the Rand study on the impact of transgender individuals in the military, the financial cost is a rounding error in the defense budget and should not be used as an excuse to deny patriotic Americans an opportunity to serve their country. We should be honoring their service - not trying to end it.” - American Medical Association
• “There is no medically valid reason to exclude transgender individuals from military service. Transgender individuals are serving their country with honor, and they should be allowed to continue doing so. According to the Rand study on the impact of transgender individuals in the military, the financial cost is a rounding error in the defense budget and should not be used as an excuse to deny patriotic Americans an opportunity to serve their country. We should be honoring their service - not trying to end it.” - American Medical Association
- Kennedy, McEachin, Jayapal Urge Trump to Reverse Transgender Military Ban (Press Release)
- Impact of Transgender Personnel on Readiness and Health Care Costs in the U.S. Military Likely to be Small (Rand Corporation)
- Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops, Explained (Vox)
- Supreme Court Allows Transgender Military Ban to go into Effect (CNN)
