The US Senate on Dec. 18 approved a contentious military spending bill with a provision barring coverage of gender-affirming care for children of service members, sending it to President Joe Biden’s desk and prompting some LGBTQ groups to demand a swift veto to protect military families.
Senators voted 85-14 to approve the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) less than a week after the House of Representatives voted 281-140 to pass their own version of the bill. The nearly $900 billion spending bill bars the military’s insurance program, known as TriCare, from covering gender-affirming care for individuals under the age of 18 who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
