The New Hyde Amendment

Republicans have a good idea, but it has little chance of becoming law until next year. The GOP-controlled U.S. House recently passed another bloated National Defense Authorization Act. The 281-140 vote had less bipartisan support than usual because of a provision that would prohibit TriCare—the healthcare used by active-duty troops, retired U.S. military, and their families—from covering so-called gender-affirming care for minors.

I doubt the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate includes this provision in its version of the military bill, nor do I think our lame-duck president's handlers would let him sign such a bill into law. The Democratic staffers running America won't use whatever remaining political capital Joe Biden has left to deliver Republicans a win. So what? Republicans will control the House, Senate, and presidency about one month from now. They can fight to include this in the 2026 NDAA but should go further. They are right that military tax dollars ought not cover so-called gender-affirming care for minors, but why should any of our tax dollars go toward transgenderism.

The Hyde Amendment, included in every federal budget since the late-1970s, bars federal funding from paying for elective abortions; this excludes abortions in cases of rape, incest, and to protect the life of the mother. It’s a nice win for the pro-life movement as it prevents federal Medicaid dollars from paying for most abortions, providing abortion clinics like Planned Parenthood with less funding. These clinics still receive federal dollars via Title X family planning funding and Medicaid reimbursements for other services.

If the federal government can defund abortion, it can do the same for transgenderism. America should have a new amendment like the Hyde Amendment that says our tax dollars will not promote transgenderism.

I’ve no clue if even Republicans will support this idea, as one of the most socially conservative figures in the GOP, former Vice President Mike Pence, effectively said he thinks adults ought to have the freedom to identify as members of the opposite sex during his 2024 Republican primary presidential bid. We do know, however, Republicans, at least, oppose certain instances of transgenderism, so perhaps they should take what they can get by crafting a budget amendment similar to Hyde. Republicans oppose so-called gender-affirming care for minors; puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and top and bottom surgery for 16- and 17-year-old minors. We know they oppose taxpayer-funded so-called sex-change operations for illegal immigrant prisoners—so much so that Kamala Harris’s support for it became a powerful attack ad in this year’s presidential election. If it were a popular idea, perhaps Harris would’ve run ads touting her support.

The GOP makes arguments that children are too young for tattoos, which means they’re too young to make life-altering decisions. It’s a mediocre argument. Our tax dollars should never cover cosmetic procedures that have people living a lie—just as they shouldn’t to go to plastic surgery, making people taller, breast and butt jobs for non-transgender-identifying people, etc. Doing so artificially increases supply and demand for these services while normalizing them as routine medical care.

Since environmental factors may contribute to body dysmorphia and gender dysphoria, the country is better off telling children they were born in the right body rather than promoting the idea that they must radically change who they are to find happiness—something that comes with immense social strife.

The incoming administration wants to improve physical health, and the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services secretary affirms that commitment. It should also take mental health concerns seriously, including depression, anxiety or suicidal ideations. Many Americans face these mental health issues, including those with gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia. The incoming administration should find ways to reduce instances of mental health issues. Promoting physically healthy lifestyles is a decent start since good physical health improves mental health.