WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) has introduced legislation that would federally ban gender-affirming care for minors.
If Vance's Protect Children's Innocence Act were to pass, doctors who perform gender reassignment procedures on a minor could be charged with a Class C felony. In addition, the legislation states that non-U.S. citizens who performed gender-affirming care on minors would become ineligible to receive visas or be admitted into the United States.
“Under no circumstances should doctors be allowed to perform these gruesome, irreversible operations on underage children,” said Vance in a statement. “With this legislation, we have an opportunity to save countless young Americans from a lifetime of suffering and regret."
The Protect Children's Innocence Act would also cease taxpayer funding for such care, including under government-sponsored healthcare plans of the Affordable Care Act. It would also prevent higher education institutions from teaching about gender-affirming care.
Vance's bill is a companion to legislation introduced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) earlier this year that was co-sponsored by 44 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
"I want to thank Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene for leading on this issue," Vance added, "and I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to protect children from these life-altering procedures.”
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