WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States Senate has blocked the Gillibrand-Collins Amendment, that would have protected transgender service members from President Donald Trump’s discriminatory transgender military ban. This amendment received bipartisan support, however, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has refused to bring it up for a vote during floor debate for the FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act.
Introduced by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), this amendment would have prevented the Department of Defense from removing or blocking the enrollment of qualified service members solely on their gender identity. McConnell’s choice to block a vote goes against recent polling showing a majority of Americans in all fifty states oppose the president’s discriminatory ban on transgender soldiers.
“Senator McConnell and Republican Senate leadership chose anti-LGBTQ animus ahead of the clear will of the American people,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD. “Transgender service members are expertly trained, well-qualified and deeply committed to protecting our country and the Senators who refused to speak out are not only directly attacking them, but our armed forces as a whole.”
Since President Trump’s initial tweets announcing his intent to break from the open service policy set in place after a comprehensive study including Armed Service leadership, medical experts, and advocacy groups, the Trump White House has been unable to provide any clear justification to this discriminatory policy.
