Sen. Hawley Urges House Speaker to Block Funding for Gender Reassignment in Minors

Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri is advocating for House Speaker Mike Johnson to take immediate action against taxpayer funding for gender reassignment treatments for minors. He is particularly concerned that billions could potentially be directed toward health care providers, including Planned Parenthood.

In a letter addressed to Johnson, Hawley emphasized the urgency of the situation, pointing out that a federal prohibition on taxpayer funding for abortion and gender treatment providers is set to expire on July 4.

He previously attempted to push a similar ban through the Senate, but it failed to pass, thereby shifting the responsibility to the House.

Hawley warned that without intervention from the House, significant federal funds could be allocated to family planning organizations for hormones, puberty blockers, and irreversible treatments for minors. He described this potential outcome as “unconscionable.”

The senator expressed concerns that if the deadline passes, billions from Medicaid could be redirected towards these treatments, which he finds problematic.

Citing data from the Government Accountability Office, Hawley noted that between 2019 and 2021, family planning programs alone received over $1.5 billion in combined Medicare and Medicaid funds. He also referenced a study by Concerned Women for America indicating a more than 40% rise in gender reassignment treatments and associated services in family planning clinics.

He argued that inevitably, taxpayer funds could support initiatives related to transgender issues that, in his view, are funded from contributions from vulnerable populations. Hawley is calling for action from Johnson “without delay or hesitation.”

If enacted, the budget amendment Hawley proposed would have added provisions to the Congressional budget resolution for the fiscal year 2026, which would allow for cuts in funding to abortion providers unless national debt levels increase.