National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027

Floor Speech

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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Chair, this amendment would codify President Trump's executive order banning transgender Americans from serving in the United States military.

Since that order came down, the military branches have forced out Americans who have served their country bravely and honorably, leaving entire professional careers behind and gaps in the units and chains of command they once held together.

This amendment would codify that exclusion into law. There are no grounds to exclude trans people from the military except for hatred, prejudice, and bigotry. There is no evidence that having transgender troops negatively impacts military readiness.

Our military is strongest when every qualified servicemember is able to serve. Who are we as a country when strong, qualified, patriotic candidates who want to serve their country are turned away simply because of ignorant legislating?

The American people want Congress to support our servicemembers, not waste time rooting out the ones they want to use as political pawns.

I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Chair, I yield 90 seconds to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Jacobs), my colleague.

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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Chair, I yield 90 seconds to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Sorensen).

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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Chair, let me conclude by saying that trans servicemembers are honorable. Trans servicemembers are truthful. Trans members are disciplined. Trans members are heroic. Trans members have sacrificed for our country. They are physically and mentally fit to serve and have made America safer.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Once again, my Republican colleagues are moving forward with a sweeping ban on necessary healthcare, including mental health care for children.

This isn't about cost. This isn't about force readiness. In fact, this amendment will harm our military's force readiness.

This amendment will force servicemembers out of the military either for their own sake or for the sake of their children since this amendment bans mental health care for trans children.

There are and will be trans children born to military households. That is a fact. What parent would choose staying in their job if that means denying their child access to mental health care?

This amendment makes it impossible for the military to retain servicemembers with trans children. This is an inhumane, wasteful, regressive amendment, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment. This amendment's language opens the door to invasive, degrading, and humiliating physical examinations of children, children who simply want to play softball or join a basketball team. That is creepy.

This amendment would require the Department of Defense Education Activities schools to determine eligibility for girls' sports teams based on a girl's reproductive system. This amendment will empower child predators.

We can have a nuanced conversation about eligibility rules for elite sports teams, but this amendment is a one-size-fits-all approach that dictates the same rules for a kindergartner wanting to play soccer as a 12th grader participating in competitive basketball. It does so in the most dangerous way, by opening young girls to invasive exams.

Our communities thrive when every child, including trans children, can be part of a team, learn sportsmanship, and challenge themselves. They falter when we write exclusion into our laws.

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