House Votes To Block Trump’s Ban On Transgender Troops

TOPLINE

The House of Representatives adopted a round of progressive amendments to $695 billion defense appropriations bill Thursday that would overturn a number of Trump administration policies including restrictions on transgender people in the military and the prosecution of criminal immigration offenses in along the southwest U.S. border.

KEY FACTS

The Trump administration policy, which went into effect in April 2019, requires transgender people to serve in thier biological sex and prohibits them from joining the military unless they’ve been medically stable in their biological sex for 36 months and haven’t transitioned.

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), who introduced the amendment, told Roll Call that although the Trump policy grants waivers in certain cases, “the military has granted only one waiver to a transgender servicemember, exposing the President’s discriminatory policy for what it is — a virtual ban on military service by brave transgender Americans.”

The package also included an amendment by Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) that would prohibit the use of funds provided by the bill to implement a 2018 Justice Department “zero-tolerance” policy when prosecuting criminal immigration offenses along the southwestern American border.

An amendment introduced by Rep. Alma Adams, (D-N.C.), would prohibit defense bill funds being used to buy chemical weapons for domestic riot control, such as the tear gas being used against protesters in Portland.

Key background

The $695 billion defense spending bill is part of a six-bill, $1.3 trillion spending measure that is expected to pass the House on Friday. Last year the House adopted a similar amendment that would block Trump’s transgender military ban to its defense authorization bill, but the Senate was able to strip it out of the final version of the bill.

tangent

The House is expected to vote on an amendment drafted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) that would ban the U.S. military from using streaming video games as recruiting tools.

further reading

House votes to stymie Trump’s transgender troop ban (Politico)

House votes to end military ban on transgender troops (Roll Call)

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Introduces Measure To Bar U.S. Military From Streaming Video Games On Twitch (Forbes)

Speak Your Mind

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Get in Touch

350FansLike
100FollowersFollow
281FollowersFollow
150FollowersFollow

Recommend for You

Oh hi there 👋
It’s nice to meet you.

Subscribe and receive our weekly newsletter packed with awesome articles that really matters to you!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

You might also like

There’s A Russian Version Of The A-10 Tank-Killer. Now...

The Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing factory floor. Tblisi...

Irpinia Is Campania’s Beating Heart

At Villa Raiano, youthful vision about ancient grapes is helping drive this southern Italian...

John Malone says global platforms like Apple, Amazon and...

John Malone chairman of Liberty MediaMichael Kovac | Getty Images | Vanity Fair)Liberty Media Chairman...

Kevin Kelly Says We Don’t Yet Know What We...

A person is seen delivering packages for Amazon prime...