US House Approves Resolution Denouncing Trump Transgender Military Ban

By a vote of 238-185, the U.S. House approved a non-binding resolution Thursday morning rebuking Donald Trump’s plan to ban transgender military service members.

Introduced by Rep. Joseph Kennedy III (D-Mass), the measure was supported by the entire Democratic caucus and was joined by five Republicans after a one-hour debate, according to the Washington Post.

Calling the misguided policy “targeted discrimination,” Kennedy said the message being sent by the House vote was to tell trans people “that they cannot be banned from military service because of who they are.”

House Resolution 124 begins with the simple statement, “Expressing opposition to banning service in the Armed Forces by openly transgender individuals.”

The resolution notes that trans service members “have served openly since 2016, bravely defending our Nation with distinction while preserving unit cohesion and contributing to military readiness,” and that thousands of trans Americans are actively serving in every branch of the Armed Forces and Reserves.

HR 124 also underscores the public testimony of all five military Chiefs of Staff who say the existing policy “has had no adverse effect on military readiness.”

The resolution comes as the Pentagon prepares to begin enforcing the trans ban on April 12 after the last of four injunctions blocking the policy from being implemented was lifted last week by a three-judge panel in the D.C. circuit.

The policy will prohibit people who have undergone gender transition from enlisting.

Current trans military service members will be required to serve as their biological gender unless they have begun gender transition before the new policy begins on April 12.

U.S. Senate: Bipartisan Agreement Emerges To Stablize Obamacare

The Hill is reporting that Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) have announced a bipartisan agreement to stabilize the Affordable Care Act.

The deal would extend key Obamacare payments to insurers for two years and give states more flexibility to change Obamacare rules.

President Trump had announced he was cutting off the payments last week, a move that many said would raise ObamaCare premiums and lower enrollment.

More from the New York Times:

“This takes care of the next two years,” Mr. Alexander said. “After that, we can have a full-fledged debate on where we go long-term on health care.”

The deal between Mr. Alexander, the chairman of the Senate health committee, and Ms. Murray, the panel’s top Democrat, is an important step for lawmakers hoping to shore up insurance markets after Republicans’ failed efforts to repeal the health law.

Mr. Alexander told reporters on Monday that Mr. Trump had encouraged him to reach a deal with Ms. Murray.

But it remains to be seen whether conservative-leaning Republicans will get on board with the agreement, and whether the House will entertain it. Some Republicans have said they do not wish to provide what they describe as a bailout to insurers.