Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Rosendale sent a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA), Denis McDonough, opposing Secretary McDonough’s decision to allow the department to provide and cover sex reassignment surgeries.

“The mission of the Veteran’s Health Administration is to ‘honor America’s Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being,’” the letter states. “We believe that providing sex reassignment surgeries is wholly incompatible with this mission.” 

The letter goes on to say that the VA has failed to address current delays in promptly providing legitimate medical care veterans desperately need. Instead of fixing these delays, the VA is focused on fighting the culture war.

"This decision, even more radical than President Obama’s policy, isn’t going to help veterans get the care they need. Instead, they’ll receive an experimental, expensive surgery with a track record of failure while the deep structural issues at the VA remain unaddressed. It’s shameful,” Representative Rosendale (MT-AL) said.

“Instead of promoting or funding liberal culture war priorities, the VA should focus on the challenges of providing our veterans with the quality care they deserve,” said Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (TN-01). 

“President Biden’s decision to allow the VA to use taxpayer money for sex reassignment surgeries is not only radical but is also a horrible abuse of taxpayer money. Instead of wasting time and money engaging in culture wars, the VA should focus on meeting the legitimate needs of our nation’s veterans and providing them with high quality health care,” said Congressman Jerry Carl (AL-01).

“Fighting for veterans’ healthcare has been one of my top priorities in Congress. As a physician, I want to see the men and women who have served our country given the support they deserve. With so many of our veterans experiencing delays in true medical care, the last thing the VA should be doing is spending tax dollars on cosmetic procedures and pushing sex reassignment surgeries on our veterans,” said Congressman Mark Green (TN-07).

“The Department of Veterans Affairs has a noble vision of providing top-notch health care for our veterans and their families, opening doors for our returning heroes, and walking them through life after dutifully serving our nation. The VA should not be in the business of funding sex reassignment surgery with taxpayer money. Any plans to do so are putting progressive social movements over the longstanding mission of the VA,” said Congressman Byron Donalds (FL-19).

"Our veterans deserve to have access to high-quality healthcare. We should be trying to help veterans who question their divinely created and scientifically verified gender, rather than facilitating or funding this kind of surgery.  Thank you to Congressman Rosendale for leading the charge and putting the needs of America's bravest men and women first,” said Congressman Bob Good (VA-05).

“Providing medically unnecessary, high-risk, and life-altering sex-change surgeries runs counter to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ mission and diverts resources away from veterans dealing with visible and invisible wounds in the name of woke identity politics. The left’s push to make our military, and now the VA, go “woke” is a tragedy, and sadly it’s our veterans who have already given so much that’ll pay the price. It’s projected that 22 veterans will commit suicide every day this year. The VA should focus on lowering that horrific number instead of creating new policies that allow men to look like women,” said Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-03).

“While many of the brave men and women who have served our nation are waiting for basic medical care or mental health treatment, the Biden Department of Veterans Affairs is opting now to cover experimental and potentially dangerous gender reassignment surgeries. The federal government – and especially the VA – should not be using taxpayer money to push the Left’s ‘woke’ agenda, plain and simple," said Congressman Jody Hice (GA-10).

“The VA’s mission is to ensure our nation’s veterans are receiving top-notch healthcare while working to improve their overall well being. However, offering sex reassignment surgeries, which data shows can be harmful both physically and mentally, runs counter to this mission. We applaud Rep. Rosendale for shining a light on this important issue and hope the VA will recognize the folly of this proposal.” - Garrett Bess, Vice President of Heritage Action

"Since taking office, President Biden and his administration have relentlessly pushed politics and ideology over science, and this decision by the VA only cements that trend. Encouraging our veterans to undergo 'sex change' procedures is unconscionable -- such procedures are highly experimental, and there is almost no evidence to show they are an effective solution, never mind medically necessary. It is important that Americans be aware that their tax dollars are being misused in such a scandalous way, and we are grateful for Rep. Rosendale's leadership in both drawing attention to this issue and pressuring the administration to reverse this dangerous decision." - Terry Schilling, President, American Principles Project

"The VA's use of taxpayer dollars to fund gender surgeries diverts resources and care for wounded veterans in the name of progressive ideology. The VA already has enough shortcomings; redirecting funds for high-risk sex reassignment surgeries will only exacerbate these failures. This is an effort to undermine our nation's heroes by pushing drastic, irreversible, and unproven procedures that could cause permanent damage." - Citizens For Renewing America

In addition to Representative Rosendale, the letter was signed by Representatives Chip Roy (TX-21), Tracey Mann (KS-01), Jeff Duncan (SC-03), Bob Good (VA-05), W. Gregory Steube (FL-17), Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA-14), Doug Lamborn (CO-05), Matt Gaetz (FL-01), Ralph Norman (SC-05), Ron Estes (KS-04), Lauren Boebert (CO-03), Kevin Hern (OK-01), Thomas Massie (KY-04), Jake LaTurner (KS-02), Andrew Clyde (GA-09), Byron Donalds (FL-19), Mark Green (TN-07), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Brian Mast (FL-18), Mary Miller (IL-15), Brian Babin, D.D.S. (TX-36), Barry Loudermilk (GA-11), Warren Davidson (OH-08), Louie Gohmert (TX-01), Ted Budd ( NC-13), Jerry L. Carl (AL-01), Pat Fallon (TX-04), Mo Brooks (AL-05), Dusty Johnson (SD-AL), Diana Harshbarger (TN-01), Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), Jody Hice (GA-10), Bob Gibbs (OH-07), Bill Posey (FL-08), Andy Harris M.D. (MD-01), Ronny L. Jackson (TX-13), Pete Sessions (TX-17), Barry Moore (AL-02), Alex X. Mooney (WV-02), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Vicky Hartzler (MO-04), Robert Aderholt (AL-04), Rick Allen (GA-12).