President Joe Biden on Dec. 23 signed the National Defense Authorization Act with a provision that bans gender-affirming health care for children of U.S. servicemembers.

The U.S. Senate last week approved the NDAA by an 85-14 vote margin.

Biden in a statement the White House released after he signed the NDAA said his administration “strongly opposes” the anti-trans provision.

“By prohibiting the use of appropriated funds, the Department of Defense will be compelled to contravene clinical practice guidelines and clinical recommendations,” said the statement. “The provision targets a group based on that group’s gender identity and interferes with parents’ roles to determine the best care for their children.”  

“This section undermines our all-volunteer military’s ability to recruit and retain the finest fighting force the world has ever known by denying health care coverage to thousands of our service members’ children,” added Biden. “No service member should have to decide between their family’s health care access and their call to serve our nation.”

The Human Rights Campaign in a statement noted the NDAA is the first anti-LGBTQ federal law signed since the Defense of Marriage Act.

Washington Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association.