Thanks to Biden’s January 25th Transgender Order, American taxpayers are now on the hook for military transgender surgeries.
Biden’s order contains a clause that repeals an Obama-era policy that prohibits federally funded reassignment surgery. According to reports, some treatments can cost upwards of $200,000.
This was followed up by memos from both Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough, specifically stating that surgery is now an “added benefit”.
Here’s more from the Washington Examiner:
“This revised policy will also ensure all medically-necessary transition related care authorized by law is available to all Service members,” Austin wrote.
In a VA email to employees, McDonough echoed: “Perform an assessment of the necessary steps to eliminate the exclusion of ‘gender alteration’ (gender affirmation surgery) in the medical benefits package.”
Neither official stated how much the added benefit would cost but rather pledged to undertake an analysis.”
“This is radical and new territory for a presidential administration to force taxpayers to fund sexual reassignment surgeries for those in the military,” Rep. Jim Banks told the Washington Examiner.
“I’m compassionate toward those individuals who want to undergo an elective surgery of this nature, but taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook to pay for it. It’s constitutionally dubious that Congress hasn’t passed these measures, but the administration, in a radical way, is pushing through this agenda. I sit on the committee that should debate these issues,” he added.
Lieutenant General Thomas Spoehr, who commanded US Navy Forces in Iraq, says that Biden’s Executive Order reads like anyone in a warzone can suddenly leave to undergo reassignment surgery.
“I would like to think the Pentagon would come up with a procedure … It’s completely irrational to change your gender right in front of a conflict,” he said. “A lot of people [in the military] are outraged by this idea that you can just come in and get this [surgery] and be gone from your unit. Someone has to pick up the slack while you are gone.”