Statement on the Passage of the FY25 NDAA
On December 18, the Senate passed the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act that includes a provision blocking transgender children of servicemembers from receiving medically necessary gender-affirming healthcare through TRICARE.
At ONS, we believe first that parents, alongside medical professionals, are best suited to determine the medical care needs of their children. This NDAA limits the ability of military families to make the best healthcare decisions for their children.
Second, we oppose moves that make life more difficult for servicemembers and their families. While ONS applauds efforts to improve quality of life for military families – including some provisions of this NDAA – the anti-trans healthcare provision undermines these efforts by placing additional strain on these very same families.
Finally, we recognize that forcing servicemembers to choose between the healthcare needs of their children and service to the nation breaks the trust that military families have placed in DOD, the White House, and the Congress. You cannot ask someone to go into combat, to lead in combat, and deny them the ability to give their child the care they need. In addition, this ban is a direct threat to recruitment and retention.
As passed, the NDAA undermines our military families in the name of anti-LGBTQIA+ discrimination. This would be the first federal law to undermine the civil rights and dignity of LGBTQIA+ persons since DOMA 30 years ago. We are grateful to our partners and champions in both houses of Congress who opposed this provision, and we will continue to support and advocate for all servicemembers and their families.
ONS urges the Biden administration to stand up for our military families in line with the Statement of Policy from the White House and the letter that Secretary Austin sent to Congress on September 6, 2024. We ask our members and our community to speak up for all military children.
In Solidarity,
Lucas F. Schleusener and the ONS Leadership Team
[Original LinkedIn release available here.]
