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Pelosi Statement on Republican Anti-Transgender Servicemember Amendment to Defense Authorization Bill

July 13, 2017

Contact: Ashley Etienne/Caroline Behringer, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. – House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement after the Republican Rules Committee made in order the Hartzler amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would deny medically necessary health care to transgender servicemembers, effectively banning these brave men and women from serving their country:

"Republicans should be ashamed: instead of protecting the men and women who risk their lives to defend our freedoms, they are fighting to rip away the health care of thousands of brave servicemembers. This cowardly Republican amendment targeting transgender men and women in uniform effectively bans these patriotic Americans from serving their country. This disgusting amendment is unprecedented, unacceptable and undermines our national security.

"The integration of openly transgender service members into our Armed Forces is the unfinished work of bipartisan efforts to repeal the discriminatory ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy, thrown into the dustbin of history by the Democratic Congress in 2010. We only strengthen our military by honoring our values of freedom and equality.

"I call upon my Republican colleagues to immediately withdraw this cruel, discriminatory and appalling amendment."

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Issues:LGBTQ+