Title: Expressing opposition to banning service in the Armed Forces by openly transgender individuals.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This resolution (1) strongly opposes President Trump's ban on transgender members of the Armed Forces, (2) rejects the scientific and medical claims upon which it is based, and (3) strongly urges the Department of Defense to not reinstate the ban and to maintain an inclusive policy allowing qualified transgender Americans to enlist and serve in the Armed Forces.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 124 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 124

Expressing opposition to banning service in the Armed Forces by openly 
                        transgender individuals.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 11, 2019

  Mr. Kennedy (for himself, Ms. Speier, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Johnson of 
 Georgia, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Norton, Mrs. 
 Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Lowenthal, 
    Ms. Brownley of California, Mr. Serrano, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. 
Gallego, Mr. Hastings, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Pappas, Mr. Gomez, Ms. Porter, 
 Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Wild, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Dean, 
    Ms. Wexton, Mr. Crist, Mr. Quigley, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. Meng, Mrs. 
Dingell, Mr. Payne, Ms. Clark of Massachusetts, Mr. Brown of Maryland, 
Mr. Raskin, Mr. Pallone, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Evans, Mr. Welch, 
   Ms. Pingree, Mr. Khanna, Ms. Hill of California, Mr. Sean Patrick 
 Maloney of New York, Mr. Sires, Ms. Davids of Kansas, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. 
    Cicilline, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Cox of California, Mrs. Craig, Ms. 
   Velazquez, Ms. Waters, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Houlahan, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. 
 Engel, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Schiff, Mr. McEachin, Ms. Blunt 
   Rochester, Ms. Haaland, Mr. Keating, Ms. Eshoo, Ms. Gabbard, Ms. 
   DelBene, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Norcross, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Golden, Mr. 
 Cardenas, Ms. Titus, Mr. Soto, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Higgins of New York, 
   Mr. Himes, Mr. Peters, Mr. Clay, Mr. Thompson of California, Mrs. 
Kirkpatrick, Mr. Cisneros, Mr. Trone, Mr. Rose of New York, Ms. Matsui, 
     Mr. Morelle, Mr. Swalwell of California, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. 
Malinowski, Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Tonko, Mr. 
Sablan, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Neal, Mr. Cohen, Mrs. Trahan, Mr. Meeks, Mrs. 
 Davis of California, Ms. Mucarsel-Powell, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Takano, Mr. 
  Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Crow, Mr. Levin of Michigan, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, 
 Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Ms. Garcia of Texas, and Ms. 
Lofgren) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing opposition to banning service in the Armed Forces by openly 
                        transgender individuals.

Whereas, on July 26, 2017, President Trump announced via Twitter that the United 
        States Government would reverse the existing policy of allowing 
        transgender servicemembers to serve openly in order to implement a ban 
        on transgender people from serving in the Armed Forces;
Whereas transgender servicemembers have served openly since 2016, bravely 
        defending our Nation with distinction while preserving unit cohesion and 
        contributing to military readiness;
Whereas a 2016 study by the RAND Corporation found that allowing transgender 
        Americans to serve openly in the Armed Forces would ``have minimal 
        impact on readiness and health care costs'' and ``little or no impact on 
        unit cohesion, operational effectiveness or readiness'';
Whereas thousands of transgender Americans currently serve actively in the Armed 
        Forces and in the Reserves throughout all branches and military 
        occupational specialties;
Whereas the American Medical Association, the American Psychological 
        Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and three former 
        military Surgeons General each have affirmed the medical efficacy of 
        transition-related care and have expressed opposition to President 
        Trump's discriminatory ban;
Whereas the claims attempting to justify President Trump's ban are based on 
        flawed scientific and medical assertions;
Whereas the Department of Defense report from 2018 falsely asserts there is 
        ``considerable scientific uncertainty'' regarding the efficacy of 
        transition-related care;
Whereas there is a global medical consensus that such care is effective, safe, 
        and reliable;
Whereas the Department of Defense has failed to provide evidence the existing 
        policy has impaired morale, unit readiness, or unit cohesion;
Whereas all five military Chiefs of Staff have testified publicly that the 
        existing policy has had no adverse effect on military readiness;
Whereas, on August 1, 2017, fifty-six retired generals and admirals released a 
        statement affirming, ``This proposed ban, if implemented, would cause 
        significant disruptions, deprive the military of mission-critical 
        talent, and compromise the integrity of transgender troops who would be 
        forced to live a lie, as well as non-transgender peers who would be 
        forced to choose between reporting their comrades or disobeying 
        policy'';
Whereas at least 18 nations allow transgender people to serve openly and 
        effectively in their armed forces;
Whereas transgender members of the Armed Forces have fought in defense of our 
        freedoms with honor and distinction since our Nation's founding and have 
        been bestowed with such commendations and awards as the Bronze Star and 
        Purple Heart for their courage and sacrifices;
Whereas President Trump's ban on transgender members of the Armed Forces targets 
        and stigmatizes a whole class of people; and
Whereas President Trump's ban on transgender members of the Armed Forces would 
        affect all transgender members of the Armed Forces and force them to 
        serve under a policy that stigmatizes and devalues their contributions 
        to our Nation's defense: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) strongly opposes President Trump's discriminatory ban 
        on transgender members of the Armed Forces;
            (2) rejects the flawed scientific and medical claims upon 
        which it is based; and
            (3) strongly urges the Department of Defense to not 
        reinstate President Trump's ban on transgender members of the 
        Armed Forces and to maintain an inclusive policy allowing 
        qualified transgender Americans to enlist and serve in the 
        Armed Forces.
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