German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller wrote his “First they came…” poem as an apology. He himself was part of “the silent complicity of German intellectuals and clergy” who said nothing as the Nazis began purging their chosen targets, group after group.
Some may think that the number of transgender children targeted in the GOP’s Project 2025 version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is too small to worry about. However, Berlin’s trans and queer community, a tiny minority, were some of the first targets of the Nazis. Jews themselves were less than 0.75% of Germany’s population. Small as these groups were, their sacrifice was demanded – literally thrown into the fire – for what was described as the greater good of society.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth actually wrote an amendment to remove the transphobic language from the NDAA (see below), but she and some other signers ended up capitulating, making the mental calculation that the pay raise of the GOP version was worth sacrificing the equal protection of health care for an estimated 10,000 transgender children of service members. (Harm is already occurring. Crisis calls to the Trevor Project spiked 700% after Election Day!)
The Christian nationalists are starting their process of breaking us apart by focusing, as the Nazis did, on small minorities. We must decide if we will fight for what our Pledge of Allegiance says we are – “one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” – or to remain silent, like Niemöller did, until it is too late.
Action #1 – Email Joe and tell him not to sign a bill that discriminates against kids!
Contact Joe here: The old email contact is down. Now we have to text him or call his comment line: 202-456-1111. The comment line is open Tuesday through Thursday 9-3 EST excluding national holidays. Make the call.
Dear Joe,
This is a big ask, but please, DO NOT SIGN the National Defense Authorization Act legislation that arrives on your desk, which includes health care discrimination against the transgender children of our service members. This bill, like the actions of the Nazis in the 1930’s, is the official beginning of the prosecution of small minorities designated as unworthy of equal protection, either as Americans, or as human beings.
Parents who are brave and smart enough to serve in our armed forces are more than capable of making these choices for their own families after consulting with their children’s doctors. They do not need twits in suits with little flag pins who have never served a day in their lives to interfere in these decisions.
It is an article of faith in the American armed services that they leave no soldier behind in wartime. Extend that commitment to their kids, before they are harmed as collateral damage of the GOP’s merciless culture war to divide us!
Joe, do not let discrimination against the children of service members part of your legacy.
Thank you!
Action #2 – Tell your legislators what you think!
It’s important for your legislators to get feedback up from their constituents when they vote. (Thanks for Rep. Brownley and Senator Schiff) (Spanks for Rep. Carbajal and Sen. Padilla.)
How did your legislator vote? House Senate
- Minimal call or email script to our legislators who did the right thing: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want to thank [Rep. Brownley/Sen. Schiff] for voting “NO” on H.R.5009 Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement, which banned medically necessary health care for the transgender children of military families, along with a lot of other issues that actual military leaders believe are vital to modern armed forces.
- Rep. Julia Brownley: email, (CA-26): DC (202) 225-5811, Oxnard (805) 379-1779, T.O. (805) 379-1779
- Senator Adam Schiff: email, DC (202) 224-3841, LA (310) 914-7300, SF (415) 393-0707, SD (619) 231-9712, Fresno (559) 485-7430
- Who is my representative?: https://whoismyrepresentative.com
- Minimal call or email script to Sen Padilla and other flippers: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want to tell Senator Padilla that I’m very disappointed that, even after signing on to Sen. Baldwins’ amendment to remove transphobic language from H.R.5009 Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement, he still voted for it. He never should have agreed to sacrifice the health care for the transgender children of military families.
- Senator Padilla: email, DC (202) 224-3553, LA (310) 231-4494, SAC (916) 448-2787, Fresno (559) 497-5109, SF (415) 981-9369, SD (619) 239-3884
- Minimal call or email script to representatives that voted for this: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want to tell Rep. [Carbajal] that I’m very disappointed that he voted for H.R.5009 Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement. He never should have agreed to sacrifice the health care for the transgender children of military families.
- or Rep. Salud Carbajal: email.(CA-24): DC (202) 225-3601, SB (805) 730-1710 SLO (805) 546-8348
- Who is my representative?: https://whoismyrepresentative.com
24 Senators Introduce NDAA Amendment to Protect Military Parents’ Right to Health Care for Their Kids
(TAMMY DUCKWORTH VOTED AGAINST HER OWN AMENDMENT! – See the others who went along below.)
These are the ones who DID NOT GO ALONG!
(Baldwin.senate.gov) “House-passed NDAA included a ban on health care for transgender kids, stripping servicemembers of parental rights to make health care decisions for their children
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and 24 Senators introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2025 to remove language that would strip away servicemembers’ parental rights to access medically necessary health care for their transgender children. The U.S. House of Representatives-passed NDAA includes language that bans health care for transgender kids and TRICARE patients under the age of 18. Baldwin’s amendment is co-sponsored by Senators Ed Markey (D-MA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Fetterman (D-PA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).
“Let’s be clear: we’re talking about parents who are in uniform serving our country who have earned the right to make the best decisions for their families. I trust our servicemembers and their doctors to make the best healthcare decisions for their kids, not politicians,” said Senator Baldwin. “Our amendment would protect military families’ right to make their own decisions and access sometimes lifesaving care for their children.”
Every major medical and mental health association in the U.S., representing more than 1.3 million U.S. doctors, supports access to this medically necessary, evidence-based health care for transgender people.
If the House-passed NDAA becomes law, it is estimated that 6,000 – 7,000 transgender children of servicemembers would not be able to access the health care that their parents had approved.
The amendment to the FY2025 NDAA would strike Sec. 708 of the House-passed NDAA, which would ban TRICARE from offering medically sound health care for our youngest transgender servicemembers and to transgender military children under 18.”
INDIVISIBLE VENTURA 