Republicans introduce bills to protect minors who undergo gender-transition procedures

Republicans in the House and Senate introduced bills that will allow people who undergo transgender medical procedures as minors to sue medical providers for damages. 

The bill also states that federal law cannot be interpreted to force medical professionals to offer gender-altering procedures. The bill also prohibits federal funds from going to states that force medical practitioners to offer transgender procedures. 

"Gender-transition procedures aren’t safe or appropriate for children. Unfortunately, radical doctors in the United States perform dangerous, experimental, and even sterilizing gender-transition procedures on young kids, who cannot even provide informed consent," said. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who is leading the Senate version of the legislation.

"Our bill allows children who grow up to regret these procedures to sue for damages. Any doctor who performs these irresponsible procedures on kids should pay," he added.

Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) introduced the House version of the Protect Minors from Medical Malpractice Act.

The bill would allow those who used puberty blockers, hormones and surgery to medically transition as a minor to sue for "declaratory or injunctive relief, compensatory damages, and attorney’s fees," the Republicans stated. The bill also allows parents of minors who underwent gender transition procedures to sue. The statute of limitations is up to 30 years after the child becomes an adult. 

Banks noted how the Biden administration released guidance recommending "irreversible and life-altering surgery" on children who are too young to learn how to drive.

"Ten years from now, there will be hundreds of thousands of Americans who were permanently scarred by the radical left’s agenda before they reached adulthood," Banks noted. "If Democrats truly supported gender-confused children, they’d support our effort to give them legal recourse."

LaMalfa explained: "Radical gender changing ideologies ignore scientific evidence and put children in harm’s way. Every time a doctor performs a gender-transitioning procedure on a minor, they endanger a vulnerable child, potentially sterilize them for life, and break their oath to 'do no harm.'"

The legislation is backed by more than 10 conservative groups, including Heritage Action and the Family Research Council.