WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House on Wednesday narrowly passed legislation sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) that would criminalize gender-affirming medical care for minors, marking a significant escalation in congressional efforts targeting transgender health care.
The bill passed 216–211 after Greene struck a deal with House leadership to secure a floor vote in exchange for her support of a procedural rule advancing the National Defense Authorization Act. While most Republicans backed the measure, three Democrats — Reps. Henry Cuellar of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina, and Vicente Gonzalez of Texas — joined them. Four Republicans broke ranks and voted against the bill.
Greene framed the legislation as a child-protection measure, arguing that Congress must intervene to prevent what she calls irreversible medical decisions. Critics, however, say the bill disregards established medical consensus and inserts federal criminal penalties into decisions typically made by families and doctors, raising serious constitutional and public health concerns.
The legislation would ban puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and gender-affirming surgeries for minors nationwide. It is widely viewed as unlikely to advance in the Senate, where it would require Democratic support to overcome procedural hurdles.
The vote also exposed internal Republican tensions. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) initially proposed an amendment narrowing federal jurisdiction, warning against stretching the Constitution’s commerce clause. After public backlash from Greene and party leaders, Roy withdrew the amendment, citing party unity.
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