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[KSweeley]

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...4b0d51cda606668?p4i&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

GOP set to remove medically necessary healthcare for up to 6,630 active-duty military personnel who are transgender:

07/13/2017

Late Wednesday night, Republicans on the House Rules Committee quietly OK'd an amendment to the 2018 national defense authorization bill that would deny medically necessary health care to transgender people in the military.

The amendment, proposed by Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), would prevent transgender military personnel from getting medical treatment such as hormone therapy or gender reassignment surgery. There are as many as 6,630 transgender people in active military service, per a RAND Corp. study.

The full House will vote Thursday on whether to keep the amendment in the bill, as lawmakers plow through the 122 proposed amendments. A request for comment from Hartzler's office on the need for such an amendment was not immediately returned.

”This vile amendment is a vicious attack on service members who are sacrificing so much and putting their lives on the line for our country," said Ashley Broadway-Mack, president of the American Military Partner Association. ”This legislative assault on military families absolutely must be stopped. We urge members of Congress to reject this cruel proposal."

Openly transgender people have served in the military since October 2016. The costs of providing them with gender transition-related medical care are relatively low: RAND estimates 30 to 140 people would seek new hormone treatments per year, and 25 to 130 would seek gender transition-related surgeries.

The American Medical Association has emphasized the medical necessity of mental health care, hormone therapy and gender-transition surgery as forms of therapeutic treatment for people diagnosed with gender dysphoria, a ”serious medical condition" that stems from the distress a person feels when his or her gender identity does not correspond with his or her birth sex. Not all transgender people are diagnosed with gender dysphoria; some don't experience that distress.

During the committee hearing, Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) tried to strip Hartzler's amendment from the bill. Every Republican present voted no.

 

[Prologue]

What an odd thing to work towards. Like how do you wake up in the morning and say this is where you want your work to go towards today? How bizarre.

 

[Shauni]

What an odd thing to work towards. Like how do you wake up in the morning and say this is where you want your work to go towards today? How bizarre.

When you hate LGBTQ people, it's not hard.

 

[Prophaniti]

So transgender people in the military want the military to pay for the transition? What does the article mean by surgeries related?


Edit: Whoa whoa before the dogpile I just wanted an explanation. I'm ignorant of these things (like surgeries involved, medication, ect.) I didn't mean to come off like I don't support transgender people. Literally the least we can do for our troops is provide them with healthcare. It's not like we can't afford to help someone who would die for our country transition.

 

[Bold One]

Where is the opposition to these evil cunts?

 

[theWB27]

Guess there's no room in that 600 billion dollar budget eh.

 

[KSweeley]

Here’s the text of Hartzler’s amendment:

 

[PsychoSoldier]

Or we could get like, 1 less tank

 

[Planx]

So transgender people in the military want the military to pay for the transition? What does the article mean by surgeries related?

No, they want the military to pay for essential mental and physical treatment for their dysphoria, a recognized medical issue.

The Republicans in Congress are just singling out a specific medical issue for exemption to the general principal that if you put your life on the line for the country, then we take care of your medical needs for the rest of your life (among other things). It's spiteful

 

[Doctoglethorpe]

And yet transgender republicans still exist. Because ANYTHING is better than a black man taking away your guns.

So really, republicans can pretty much do whatever they want and their base will be fine with it. Infuriatingly frustrating.

 

[Prophaniti]

Or we could get like, 1 less tank

Not even. Just don't start the engine on a tank and let it idle like we do every month.

No, they want the military to pay for essential mental and physical treatment for their dysphoria, a recognized medical issue.

The Republicans in Congress are just singling out a specific medical issue for exemption to the general principal that if you put your life on the line for the country, then we take care of your medical needs for the rest of your life (among other things). It's spiteful

Ohh that's pretty shitty. Really just out of spite. Thanks for the explanation.

 

[snacknuts]

That sounds about right. Right in their wheelhouse.

 

[Maledict]

So transgender people in the military want the military to pay for the transition? What does the article mean by surgeries related?

Of course - when you are in the military, the military covers your health costs. The same as they do for anyone else. The AMA has said that transgender people should receive gender treatment (surgery or hormones) as treatment for their condition, why would this be any different to a soldier who needs medical care for any other situation?

 

[Deuce Deuce]

So transgender people in the military want the military to pay for the transition? What does the article mean by surgeries related?

Why not? The military provides their healthcare plans for them.

 

[ShadowSwordmaster]

"We care about the troops but not those troops." -GOP Senator.

 

[Wilsongt]

Here’s the text of Hartzler’s amendment:

So they will give counseling, but nothing else?

 

[Somnid]

What an odd thing to work towards. Like how do you wake up in the morning and say this is where you want your work to go towards today? How bizarre.

I at first read this as "Who would want to join the military and support such a stupid, hateful regime that hates you." Still equally valid.

 

[zelas]

When you hate LGBTQ people, it's not hard.

Its not just LGBTQ folk. Trump and the Republican cronies are ostracizing foreigners needed to fill positions in the military too.

Trump Administration Considers End To Citizenship For Military Service Program

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
The U.S. Army has an ongoing critical need for medical personnel and native speakers of foreign languages. It fills that need in part with recruits who are not U.S. citizens. In exchange, those recruits get to become Americans at the conclusion of their military service. The future of that program, however, is now unclear. And to talk about it, we are joined now by NPR's Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman, who's been following this.

...

BOWMAN: And it's an 8-year-old program. In essence, it was created to bring in those with critical skills. Languages, strategic languages - there are some three dozen languages here. And also medical skills, too - I'm told about two thirds of the Army Reserve dentists are in this program. Now after eight years, those in the program, if they serve honorably, they get U.S. citizenship. And that's the draw for these folks who have green cards or are on visas.

And about 4,000 to 5,000 have already been through the program, are in uniform and serving. And I'm told around 4,000 or more are awaiting basic training. They're just kind of in limbo now.

Not even serving in the military can stop these people from hating minorities.

 

[commedieu]

These people are serving our country,their mistake thinking the country would serve them.

 

[BrutishMrFish]

"But Republicans are the only ones doing anything about the debt, you guys!"

I do wonder how long these people would be sustained by pure spite if they didn't have access to food or water.

 

[Generalpsyduck]

Support our troops (only if they fit within our limited and hateful belief system)

 

[norinrad]

Hey where is Ivanka? Dad is messing with people who need to be protected from macho assholes.

 

[norm9]

There was an NPR report about military vets who have been deported and all live in a house in Tijuana. They're a support group and are all working with lawyers to figure out how to get back into the States. They were deported for various crimes. Didn't get that citizenship that serving would have given them. The army will use and then drop you.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

What an odd thing to work towards. Like how do you wake up in the morning and say this is where you want your work to go towards today? How bizarre.

When you have donors to please

 

[Slayven]

Funny how the GOP worship the military

 

[whitemex88]

Quite the conundrum when you love the troops but hate the "gays"

 

[Fox Mulder]

.

 

[Ekai]

I'm not surprised.

 

[Taramoor]

So they will give counseling, but nothing else?

I imagine they will significantly limit the types of mental health treatment available to Trans people.

 

[Buckle]

What an odd thing to work towards. Like how do you wake up in the morning and say this is where you want your work to go towards today? How bizarre.

The GOP miss the good old days when we were still trying to invent fire and the wheel.

 

[Deepwater]

What an odd thing to work towards. Like how do you wake up in the morning and say this is where you want your work to go towards today? How bizarre.

People conveniently forget that the military is the only avenue for gainful employment for many people of lower SES. Why do you think they flood low performing schools in poor neighborhoods with recruiters?

Edit: I might've confused your post at being targeted towards the troops rather than the republicans, if so my bad.

 

[PsychoSoldier]

I imagine they will significantly limit the types of mental health treatment available to Trans people.

I wonder if Pence will lead the treatment efforts

 

[tomtom94]

What an odd thing to work towards. Like how do you wake up in the morning and say this is where you want your work to go towards today? How bizarre.

Republicans genuinely believe transgender people can just "stop being trans".

 

[Shaanyboi]

Sounds like something they'd do.

 

[Horp]

Next up:
GOP moving towards new legislation that aims to torture and murder everyone not white, straight and male (hot girls are ok too). This will surely make america great again, says trump in a tweet.

 

[Rmagnus]

Come on didn't their god told them to love everyone. Wtf is wrong with these pos.

 

[Future]

So they will give counseling, but nothing else?

All they need is counseling to teach them that being transgender is wrong. Then they will be worthy of us benefits!

Reassignment surgery and other therapies unfortunately are still viewed as optional cosmetic like procedures to many that have no experience with the reality of being transgender

 

[Pai Pai Master]

What the FUCK. Calling my reps about this right now. This is fucking vile.

 

[SlickShoesRUCrazy]

but the gop is pro military....

 

[NOLA_Gaffer]

It's baffling to me that somehow as a society we seem to be moving backwards. Folks in the 80s thought we'd be living in a utopian society by now, but it's looking like it's going to be anything but.

 

[SmackDaddy]

The fuck is wrong with these people. Their priorities are so baffling. It all stems from hate, prejudice, and fear.

 

[Violence Jack]

The quote from the end of Rambo II is still relevant:

"I want...what they want, and every other guy who came over here, and spilt his guts and gave everything he had.. wants... for our country to love us...as much as we love it. That's what I want."

 

[Protome]

but the gop is pro military....

Pro military, not pro soldiers.

 

[FinaruDensetsu]

Wow I had no idea there were some 6000 transgender people serving in our military. That's pretty great that under President Obama that was allowed. Hopefully this isn't the beginning of the GOP's attempts to reverse all of that.

 

[Somnid]

It's baffling to me that somehow as a society we seem to be moving backwards. Folks in the 80s thought we'd be living in a utopian society by now, but it's looking like it's going to be anything but.

An 80s utopia is different from a 2010s utopia. The people in power now likely got theirs in the 80s and have been telling everyone fuck you since. But we all share a love of VR.

 

[Yaphett Kotto]

Remember this next time someone you know is voting Republican because Democrats don't care for servicemembers.

Wow I had no idea there were some 6000 transgender people serving in our military. That's pretty great that under President Obama that was allowed. Hopefully this isn't the beginning of the GOP's attempts to reverse all of that.

Yes, there are plenty of them plus even more gay marriages, bisexual couples, etc.

We can't sleep on them, though. Stuff like this shit is a threat and there are still plenty of the older guard still serving that are in the closet and hate what its become.

 

[neorej]

but the gop is pro military....

Pro military, anti healthcare, basic human rights, LGBT, etcetc.

 

[theechrisfox]

Wow I had no idea there were some 6000 transgender people serving in our military. That's pretty great that under President Obama that was allowed. Hopefully this isn't the beginning of the GOP's attempts to reverse all of that.

I really wish 6,000 was enough for a military coup. Maybe it is.

 

[Damaniel]

Come on didn't their god told them to love everyone. Wtf is wrong with these pos.

You're mistaking him for that other guy with the same name as their god. The god they actually follow hates minorities and LGBT people more than even they do. Oh, and that god *also* thinks that the poor are they way they are because they don't worship him enough.

 

[lightskintwin]

Republicans genuinely believe transgender people can just "stop being trans".

I do agree with Dave Chappelle that Transgenders are going to have the hardest road out of the LGBTQ because it's the largest mental gap to bridge.

Truth be told, I don't even think the Republicans knew transgender people even existed til like 5 years ago or when Caitlyn Jenner happened.