US House of Representatives vote to block implementing the transgender military ban
Donald Trump's military ban came into effect in April this year
By Steve Brown
Words: Steve Brown
The United States House of Representatives has voted to block the implementation of the transgender military ban.
On Tuesday (June 18), the House voted 243-183 to adopt an amendment to Pentagon funding which would prevent any money from being used to implement a rule barring transgender people from serving in the military.
Nine Republicans voted for the new amendment and only one Democrat – Collin Peterson – voted no, according to USA Today.
Republican Anthony Brown spoke in support of the amendment: “The president and his administration wrongly argue that it’s about military readiness and unit cohesion, but these arguments are the same ones that were used to keep the military racially segregated.
“My service in an integrated armed forces did not harm readiness.”
Republican Ken Calvert then argued that transgender military men and women ‘undermine the readiness of our military at a time when we can least afford it’.
Donald Trump’s transgender military ban came into effect in April this year.