The House of Representatives approved legislation that would “criminalize gender transition treatments for minors,” including surgery and hormones, with penalties of “up to ten years in federal prison” for medical providers. The bill passed by a narrow 216–211 vote, largely along party lines, and immediately triggered strong political reactions.

Civil rights groups condemned the proposal as “one of the most extreme anti-transgender measures ever considered by Congress.” While the bill faces long odds in the Senate, its passage highlighted the priorities of the ultraconservative wing of House Republicans and closely matched President Donald Trump’s agenda on gender-affirming care.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia was central in pushing the vote, pressuring Speaker Mike Johnson to bring the bill forward. She argued the legislation would codify Trump’s executive order and fulfill a key campaign promise on restricting gender-affirming medical procedures.

Supporters claimed that gender transition care for minors amounts to “ideological indoctrination” and harms children. Republican lawmakers argued such treatments are not medically necessary and accused Democrats of misleading families about their effects.

Democrats countered that the bill would “substitute political ideology for medical judgment,” targeting a small and vulnerable group. They warned it would infringe on parental rights, criminalize doctors, and expose private medical decisions to government control. Despite a few cross-party votes, the debate revealed deep divisions, with more anti-trans legislation expected to follow.