The House of Representatives approved sweeping legislation on Wednesday that would criminalize gender transition treatments for minors, including surgical procedures and the provision of hormone therapies, while subjecting medical providers to penalties of up to ten years in federal prison. The bill passed narrowly, by a vote of 216 to 211, in a deeply polarized session that revealed sharp ideological divides over gender, parental rights, and the role of government in personal medical decisions. Although supporters framed the measure as a necessary step to protect children, critics warned that it represents an unprecedented federal intrusion into healthcare and family life. Civil rights organizations quickly condemned the proposal as one of the most extreme anti-transgender bills ever advanced in Congress, arguing that it targets a small, vulnerable population while disregarding established medical standards and the lived realities of transgender youth.
Despite its passage in the House, the bill faces long odds in the Senate, where it would require significant bipartisan support to move forward. Nonetheless, its approval carried symbolic weight, reflecting the priorities of the ultraconservative Republican majority in the House and aligning closely with President Donald Trump’s broader policy agenda. During debate, Republican lawmakers repeatedly referenced Trump’s executive actions on gender-affirming care, presenting the legislation as an effort to formalize and entrench those policies into federal law. For supporters, the vote represented a clear statement of intent: to draw a firm national line against medical interventions related to gender transition for minors. For opponents, it signaled an alarming willingness by lawmakers to override medical expertise and impose criminal penalties based on ideological beliefs rather than scientific consensus.
At the center of the bill’s advancement was Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who aggressively pushed House leadership to bring the legislation to the floor. Earlier in the month, Greene publicly demanded that Speaker Mike Johnson schedule a vote, threatening to withhold her support for a key defense policy measure if her bill was not considered. Her strategy proved effective, underscoring her influence within the current Republican conference. On the House floor, Greene framed the legislation as a fulfillment of Trump’s campaign promises, arguing that voters had explicitly endorsed restrictions on gender transition treatments in the 2024 election. She used emotionally charged rhetoric and visual aids, including a poster depicting a minor who had undergone surgery, to argue that children should not be allowed to make what she described as irreversible medical decisions. Greene asserted that “most Americans” believe children should grow up before undergoing any such procedures, positioning the bill as a reflection of mainstream values.
