The House of Representatives narrowly approved a bill, 216–211, that would criminalize gender transition treatments for minors, including surgeries and hormone therapies, and impose penalties of up to ten years in federal prison for providers. Supporters described the measure as necessary to protect children, while critics condemned it as an unprecedented federal intrusion into healthcare and family decision-making. Civil rights groups called it one of the most extreme anti-transgender proposals advanced in Congress.

Although the bill faces uncertain prospects in the Senate, its passage reflects the priorities of the House’s ultraconservative Republican majority and aligns with President Donald Trump’s policy agenda. Republicans framed the legislation as fulfilling campaign promises and reinforcing executive actions on gender-affirming care, presenting it as a national standard against medical transition for minors.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia played a central role in pushing the bill to a vote, pressuring House leadership and portraying the measure as a response to voter demands. Other Republican supporters argued that gender-affirming care for minors is harmful and ideologically driven, with some labeling it “child abuse” and asserting that federal penalties are necessary to deter such practices.

Democrats countered that the bill substitutes ideology for medical expertise and would undermine parental rights and the doctor-patient relationship. They emphasized that such surgeries are rare and governed by strict guidelines, warning that the law could criminalize accepted medical care and intimidate providers. Representative Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress, criticized the focus on transgender youth as disproportionate and politically motivated.READ MORE BELOW