U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) introduced the Stopping Transgender Operation Payments and Wacky Expenses for Illegal Residents and Detainees Act (STOP WEIRD Act) Thursday.
The bill seeks to prevent federal funds from being used to provide gender transition procedures and surgeries for individuals in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
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Rep. Steube’s legislation comes in response to statements from Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, who referred to transition surgeries as a “medical necessity” and expressed support for providing such treatments to detained illegal immigrants.
“This is a bill Congress shouldn’t have to write, but my legislation is now necessary because the sitting VP and Democrat nominee for president, Kamala Harris, has pledged to use taxpayer dollars to fund sex change surgeries for illegal immigrants. Free sex change surgeries join a litany of ‘benefits’ the Democrats promote to illegals to encourage them to break our laws, enter our country illegally, and vote!” said Rep. Steube. “Congress must pass my bill so we can safeguard our taxpayer dollars from Kamala’s weird and disgusting plan, which she could implement today.”
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Harris’s stance on taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries was made clear in a 2019 ACLU Questionnaire, where she wrote: “It is important that transgender individuals who rely on the state for care receive the treatment they need, which includes access to treatment associated with gender transition… Transition treatment is a medical necessity, and I will direct all federal agencies responsible for providing essential medical care to deliver transition treatment.”
Rep. Steube’s bill aims to block such policies from being implemented, arguing that taxpayer dollars should not be used for these procedures for illegal immigrants in federal custody.
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