House Votes To Block Trump Administration’s Restriction On Transgender Individuals In The Military

The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday voted to block the Trump administration’s restriction on transgender Americans in the military as part of a defense spending bill. An amendment to the bill drafted by Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., blocks funding for a Trump policy implemented in April 2019 that bars individuals with a condition called gender dysphoria from joining the military.

Lawmakers adopted the amendment in a voice vote, which was bundled in a package with three-dozen other amendments to the $1.3 trillion defense spending bill. Republicans opposed the amendment package but did not push for a roll call vote.

The House is expected to pass the bill Friday. The House approved the same transgender troop amendment last year, but it was not included in the final spending bill following negotiations with the Republican-led Senate and the White House.

The Trump-era policy requires those with gender dysphoria to serve in the military in their biological sex. The administration argues that the policy is not discriminatory, as the Pentagon would grant waivers for some transgender individuals to serve in the armed forces.

In June 2016, Obama Defense Secretary Ashton Carter ended a ban barring transgender Americans from being allowed to openly serve in the military. Trump said in a July 2017 tweet that he would reverse the policy.

The Trump administration has also attempted to roll back Obama-era healthcare protections for transgender Americans. In addition, Trump rescinded an Obama administration rule on transgender students, pushing the issue to the state and local governments.