Marjorie Taylor Greene's No Surgical Genital Mutilation Act For Those Under 18 Years of Age, Passes House, Goes to Senate

Washington, D.C. — December 18, 2025. The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would make it a federal crime to provide gender-affirming medical care, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries, to individuals under the age of 18.H.R. 3492.

Titled the "Protect Children’s Innocence Act" and sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), amends existing federal law on female genital mutilation to classify certain gender-affirming procedures and treatments as "genital or bodily mutilation" or "chemical castration" when performed on minors for the purpose of aligning their body with a sex different from their biological sex. Violations would be punishable as a Class C felony, carrying potential penalties of fines and up to 10 years in prison for healthcare providers, parents who consent, or anyone facilitating such care.The bill passed by a vote of 216-211, largely along party lines.

Three Democrats — Reps. Henry Cuellar (Texas), Don Davis (North Carolina), and Vicente Gonzalez (Texas) — joined 213 Republicans in supporting the measure. Four Republicans — Reps. Young Kim (California), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pennsylvania), Mike Lawler (New York), and Anthony D'Esposito (New York) — voted against it, aligning with the remaining Democrats in opposition.The legislation includes exceptions for procedures treating certain medical conditions, such as intersex variations involving abnormal sex chromosome structures or infections resulting from prior interventions.Supporters, led by Rep. Greene, described the bill as fulfilling a campaign promise of President-elect Donald Trump to end gender-affirming treatments for minors. Greene stated on the House floor that the measure protects children from "permanent changes to their body that they can never undo," emphasizing that minors are not mature enough for such decisions.

Opponents, including major medical organizations such as the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Psychological Association, argue that gender-affirming care is medically necessary and evidence-based for treating gender dysphoria in youth. Studies, including a 2022 analysis in the Journal of Adolescent Health, have linked access to such care with reduced rates of depression and suicidality among transgender adolescents. Critics, including the ACLU and Human Rights Campaign, called the bill the "most extreme anti-trans legislation ever considered by Congress," warning it could criminalize standard medical practices and endanger transgender youth.

The bill now advances to the Democratic-controlled Senate, where it is widely expected to face significant opposition and is unlikely to pass. Similar restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors have been enacted in 27 states since 2021, following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier in 2025 upholding such bans.

The vote marks one of Rep. Greene's final legislative actions before her announced resignation from Congress in January 2026. The House also considered a separate bill to prohibit Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care but did not vote on it this week.

This development comes amid ongoing national debates over transgender healthcare, with European nations like Sweden and Finland having restricted certain interventions for minors due to concerns over long-term evidence, while U.S. medical bodies maintain support for individualized, affirming approaches.