Marjorie Taylor Greene's bill criminalizing gender-affirming care for minors passes with Democrats' support
https://www.advocate.com/politics/mtg-trans-youth-care-ban 🔗Christopher Wiggins (17 Dec 2025)
As the last vote of the day on Wednesday evening, the U.S. House on Wednesday passed a bill that would make doctors and parents criminals for providing gender-affirming medical care to transgender minors, marking the first time Congress has approved a national ban on such treatment and escalating a yearslong Republican campaign to regulate transgender lives through federal law. It now goes to the Senate, where it is unlikely to pass.
The legislation, introduced by Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and titled the "Protect Children's Innocence Act," would impose felony penalties of up to 10 years in prison on physicians who provide puberty blockers, hormone therapy, or surgical care to patients under 18. The bill would also expose parents and others who consent to or help minors access that care to criminal liability.
The bill passed with 216 members voting for it and 211 against it. Three Democrats joined all Republicans in supporting the bill's passage.
Every major medical association in the U.S., including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, supports providing this evidence-based and safe care to young people when supervised by a qualified health care provider.
Democrats and LGBTQ+ advocates warned that the legislation would have immediate and far-reaching consequences, regardless of whether it ultimately becomes law.
