Eighty-two House Democratic congressmen and one Republican have petitioned Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie to reverse the agency’s ban on sex reassignment surgery after a two-month public comment period.
In a letter to Wilkie last week, the representatives wrote that “it is unconscionable to deny veterans the same access to health care services that civilians receive in the private sector, and that is available to Medicare beneficiaries and federal workers, simply because of outdated and unscientific prejudice against their gender identity.”
Transgender veterans are currently able to get treatment before and after gender reassignment surgery, but the department will not cover the actual procedure. VA officials have discussed covering the surgery since the idea was first proposed in 2016 under former President Barack Obama and then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter who lifted the ban on transgender people openly serving in the military that year.
Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., is leading the effort to have the policy changed. She said in a statement that it was “unacceptable that we would ask our veterans to risk their lives to protect our rights but we would refuse to defend theirs in return.”
President Trump proposed banning transgender people from serving in the military in July 2017. Lower courts and the administration have appealed the measure. When asked about Trump’s comments about transgender troops during his confirmation hearing, Wilkie said that the VA “is proud to provide care, benefits and other VA services to all veterans, including transgender veterans. That policy will remain unchanged.”
VA spokesman Curt Cashour said if changes were to be made to the policy they would be announced through formal federal channels.
