Rep. Justin Amash said a request from Pentagon chief James Mattis prompted his vote to preserve former President Barack Obama’s pro-transgender policies in the military.
In a July 16 Facebook post explaining his unpopular July 13 vote, Amash wrote:
On July 13, the House voted on an amendment offered by Rep. Hartzler. The amendment says that “[f]unds available to the Department of Defense may not be used to provide medical treatment (other than mental health treatment) related to gender transition to a person entitled to medical care” under the military health system … [Defense] Sec. [James] Mattis and the White House urged us not to adopt Hartzler Amendment [and] all the administration wants is three months to review everything.
So far, administration and Pentagon officials have not confirmed Amash’s claim of their opposition to the Hartzler amendment. However, on June 30, Matt ordered a six-month suspension of Obama’s rules, which were about to invite transsexuals to join the military from July 1. The suspension will give Mattis — and new appointees — until January 2018 to decide if the military will endorse the transgender ideology.
In contrast, Mattis ordered a six-month suspension of Obama’s rules on June 30, which were about to invite transsexuals to join the military from July 1. The suspension will give Mattis — and new appointees — until January 2018 to decide if the military will endorse Obama’s pro-transgender ideology.
Amash was one of 23 Republicans who voted with all lockstep Democrats to preserve the Obama-era transgender policy with a narrow vote of 214 to 209.
The Obama policy endorses the transgender ideology by validating and accepting recruits who believe their “gender” is different from their male or female body, and by also offering transsexuals free lifetime medical care — such as debilitating hormones and expensive surgery, despite the loss of military readiness. The new rules also enforce transgender demands by ordering servicemen and servicewomen to offer “dignity and respect” to transsexuals in their shower rooms and in their shared sleep spaces, while also telling transsexuals that they “are not required or expected to modify or adjust their behavior based on the fact that they do not ‘match’ other Soldiers.”
