The House of Representatives passed legislation Wednesday that would ban gender transition treatments for minors, including surgery and hormone care, and impose prison sentences of up to ten years for medical providers. The bill passed narrowly, 216–211, largely along party lines, and immediately ignited fierce political debate.
Civil rights groups condemned the proposal as “one of the most extreme anti-transgender measures ever considered by Congress.” While the bill is unlikely to advance in the Senate, its passage highlighted the priorities of ultraconservative House Republicans and closely aligned with President Donald Trump’s agenda on gender-affirming care.
Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia was instrumental in forcing the vote, pressuring House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring the bill forward. Greene argued the legislation fulfilled a major Trump campaign promise and said Congress must codify his executive order restricting gender-affirming medical procedures.
Supporters of the bill claimed that gender transition care for minors is harmful and amounts to ideological indoctrination. Republican lawmakers argued such treatments are not medically necessary and accused Democrats of misleading families about potential risks.
Democrats strongly opposed the measure, warning it would replace medical expertise with political ideology and target a small, vulnerable population. They argued it would violate parental rights, criminalize doctors, and allow government intrusion into private medical decisions. Although a few lawmakers crossed party lines, the vote underscored deep divisions in Congress as debates over gender-affirming care continue to shape national politics.
