"Biden Signs Defense Bill with Junior Enlisted Pay Hike, Ban on Treatments for Transgender Military Kids"

[orleans]

this is depressing.
depressing that the tricare ban is part of it
depressing that it was signed today
depressing that dems felt the need to pass it anyway
just overall sad that there wasn't enuf time to fight for a different bill

Specifically, the bill bans Tricare from covering treatments for transgender minors that "could result in sterilization." The bill does not specify exact treatments that will be banned, but LGBTQ+ advocates are warning the ambiguous wording will cut off access to hormone therapy and puberty blockers.

It's unclear exactly how many military kids the new prohibition will affect, but one study found that more than 2,500 children received some form of transgender-related care through Tricare from 2009 to 2017.

Biden, in a statement released from the White House following his signing of the bill, voiced strong objections to the restrictions on Tricare.

“The provision targets a group based on that group's gender identity and interferes with parents' roles to determine the best care for their children,” he said. “This section undermines our all-volunteer military's ability to recruit and retain the finest fighting force the world has ever known by denying health care coverage to thousands of our service members' children. No service member should have to decide between their family's health care access and their call to serve our Nation.”

Most House Democrats voted against the NDAA over the ban. While Senate Democrats balked at the provision, most supported the bill overall, arguing the good in the legislation outweighed the bad.

more

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/12/24/biden-signs-defense-bill-junior-enlisted-pay-hike-ban-treatments-transgender-military-kids.html

[Polybius]

1. Who were the 14 "No' notes?

It passed 85-14.