Press Release: 11/19/2025

Amid Attacks on Trans Rights and Access to Health Care, Sen. Markey, Rep. Balint Introduce Legislation to Protect Gender-Affirming Health Care for Transgender Americans

 



Bill Text (PDF)



Washington (November 19, 2025) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, introduced the Transgender Health Care Access Act on the final day of Transgender Awareness Week. As attacks on transgender Americans escalate nationwide and the Trump administration relentlessly seeks to undermine the rights of the transgender community, the Transgender Health Care Access Act would protect access to competent, compassionate, and affirming health care.



This bill is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.). Representative Becca Balint (D-VT-At Large) introduced the legislation in the House of Representatives in March 2025.



“The Trump administration and MAGA Republicans are on a relentless mission to tear health care away from transgender Americans,” said Senator Markey. “But what Republicans fail to recognize is they cannot erase transgender Americans by taking away their access to gender-affirming care. They are choosing to risk the lives and safety of trans Americans, including trans youth, who the Trump administration is disproportionately and explicitly targeting and attacking. By ensuring that transgender Americans have access to safe and essential health care, the Transgender Health Care Access Act would fight back against the Trump administration’s cruel onslaught.”



“I’m grateful to Senator Ed Markey for leading the charge in the Senate to garner support for this critical bill. Republicans in Congress are attacking access to health care left and right. Democrats stand for better health care for everyone,” said Representative Balint. “It’s essential that trans Americans — like all Americans — have access to medically necessary care in every corner of the country. This what the Transgender Health Care Access Act will help achieve. I am proud to stand with trans Americans, advocates, and allies to demand equality, dignity, and accessible health care for all.”



“While families in this country are being impacted from the cuts made to Medicaid, SNAP benefits, aid to farmers, and more, some of the most powerful people in the world are working to erase the trans community, to deny us access to lifesaving healthcare and to pretend like we don't exist. Trans people are here, and we have always been a part of this country. Access to transition-related care is medically necessary for transgender patients, a position that is overwhelmingly supported by doctors, scientists and the medical literature. It is safe, effective and lifesaving. We want to thank Senator Markey for introducing this legislation and for his leadership in supporting trans families,” said Sinead Murano-Kinney, Health Policy Analyst at Advocates for Trans Equality.



The bill is endorsed by Advocates for Trans Equality, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for American Progress, the Congressional Equality Caucus, Equality California, the Human Rights Campaign, the Trevor Project, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.



Senator Markey has long been a staunch champion of LGBTQ+ rights:




  • On July 9, 2025, Senator Markey and Representative Dina Titus (NV-01) introduced the Greater Leadership Overseas for the Benefit of Equality (GLOBE) Act, legislation that would reaffirm U.S. leadership in advancing the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ individuals around the world.

  • On June 27, 2025, Senator Markey and Representative Chris Pappas (NH-01) led the reintroduction of the LGBTQ+ Panic Defense Prohibition Act, legislation that would prohibit the use of “panic” defenses based on sexual orientation or gender identity in federal courts.

  • On September 3, 2024, Senator Markey led 162 of his colleagues in submitting an amicus brief in United States v. Skrmetti urging the Supreme Court to strike down Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. On June 18, 2025, Senator Markey slammed the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Tennessee’s law banning gender-affirming care for trans youth in United States v. Skrmetti.

  • On June 26, 2023, Senator Markey introduced the Gender-Affirming Care Access Research for Equity (CARE) Act, legislation that would authorize $25 million annually over five years for the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to research barriers to gender-affirming care and the impacts of these barriers.

  • On March 30, 2023, Senator Markey introduced the Transgender Bill of Rights, a landmark resolution to protect the rights of transgender and nonbinary people by ensuring trans people have access to medical care, shelter, safety, and economic security. On March 31, 2023, Senator Markey led colleagues in a letterto President Biden urging him to protect transgender Americans and expand access to gender-affirming care.