The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on Wednesday that would bar physicians from conducting gender-transition surgeries and administering puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones to minors. The measure, titled the “Protect Children’s Innocence Act,” was sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and advanced with a vote of 216-211.
The bill targets medical interventions such as hormone therapy for children who identify as transgender and puberty blockers, which can impact bone growth and other physical development. It also imposes severe penalties on doctors who perform these procedures, including fines or imprisonment up to ten years.
Greene stated: “Most Americans agree that kids just need to grow up before they do anything radical, like a mastectomy on a 15-year-old girl, castrate themselves through surgery, or even take dangerous drugs that have lifelong effects.”
The measure passed with support from three Democrats—Enrique “Henry” Cuellar (D-TX), Donald Davis (D-NC), and Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX)—and 213 Republicans. Four Republican representatives—Reps. Gabe Evans (R-CO), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mike Kennedy (R-UT), and Mike Lawler (R-NY)—opposed the bill.
Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, commended the vote, saying: “Republicans showed today that they are as committed to protecting children as Democrats are to disfiguring them. Bipartisan supermajorities support commonsense protections for at-risk children, and yet only three Democrats had the moral courage to stand up to a multi-billion-dollar industry that profits off of the misery of American kids.”
The legislation now moves to the Senate, where similar proposals have historically faced challenges.
