House of Representatives Passes Resolution in Support of Transgender Servicemembers

WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives passed H. Res. 124 today, expressing opposition to the Trump Administration’s attempts to ban transgender people from serving in the Armed Forces.

The resolution puts members of Congress on the record as: opposing President Trump’s discriminatory ban on transgender servicemembers; rejecting the flawed scientific and medical claims upon which it is based; and urging the Department of Defense not to reinstate the ban.

Ian Thompson, senior legislative representative with the American Civil Liberties Union, had the following response:

“Today, the House of Representatives joined military, medical, and legal experts in affirming what we already know to be true: allowing open service by transgender individuals does not disrupt or undermine military readiness or unit cohesion. Rather, it is the Trump’s administration’s efforts to ban transgender people from the Armed Forces that undermine national security and military readiness — not to mention being discriminatory and unconstitutional.

“This ban is about nothing more than the Administration’s attempt to codify transphobia as policy, and we will fight it as such. Our clients – and other transgender servicemembers just like them – are brave men and women who should be able to continue serving their country ably and honorably without being discriminated against by their own commander in chief.”