President Joe Biden’s pick for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) made a move two weeks ago to overturn a 2013 ban on taxpayer funded VA sex-change surgeries.
Since then, Republican lawmakers have come out against the decision, including Rep. Gregory Murphy (R-NC) at a House morning debate on Monday. In his speech, Murphy asked the Biden Administration to reconsider its decision — one which even the Obama Administration decided not to make in 2016. Murphy said:
Secretary Denis McDonough was supposed to fix the VA. What is his first major action? Spending millions and diverting resources from our service-connected veterans for non-service connected issues. We are bankrupting this nation chasing the far-left progressive wishlist.
Murphy, who is not only a politician, but a 30-year practicing urologist, said these individuals could seek care and cosmetic surgeries that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars — all without a solid scientific consensus on whether or not these surgeries help or harm the people who undergo them.
Murphy also noted that the VA is already understaffed and underfunded:
These surgeries that are required, require complex surgical intervention by highly-trained surgical specialists that the VA does not have nor has any prospect of employing in the future. The nation is already suffering a severe shortage of surgeons. The American College of Surgeons cites severe shortages of general surgeons, urologists, (and) plastic surgeons. Those that we have are needed to take care of cancer, bowel obstructions, limb reconstructions following battlefield injuries — real life and death issues. They’re not going to jump ship to be paid less in a bureaucratic government-run healthcare system.
We already know that the VA is short staffed. They need mental health individuals for PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and traumatic brain injury from injuries sustained by veterans in battle. We already have 17 veterans dying a day from service-connected psychiatric issues. They do not need to compete for resources with those who are suffering from issues that have nothing to do with being a member in the military. We do not have enough psychiatrists or psychologists to deal with the trauma that our veterans have faced in their fight to keep this nation free.
Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL), ranking member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and a veteran himself, slammed the announcement when it came out, saying the White House was trying to win “the culture wars,” Breitbart News previously reported.
“This announcement clearly has more to do with advancing a radical liberal agenda than serving veterans,” Bost said. “It is a disgrace. This administration should rethink their priorities immediately.”
Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) said in a statement:
President Biden and Secretary McDonough advocating for taxpayer-funded gender transition surgeries is an absolute disgrace. The VA should be focused on taking care of America’s veterans, not pushing dangerous and unproven remedies on vulnerable populations.
The Biden Administration has chosen to drastically depart from Trump-era policy, which made serving in the U.S. military reserved for men and women who are housed according to their biological sex.
McDonough claimed the policy is necessary because transgender veterans are at greater risk of mental illness and suicidal thoughts but do not always seek treatment, Breitbart News reported.
“We’re making these changes not only because they are the right thing to do, but because they can save lives,” McDonough said.
Murphy came to the exact opposite conclusion.
“Is it right to divert resources away from those who require years of therapy for non-service connected issues? The answer I submit is no,” Murphy said.
Media reports said it could take years for the policy to take effect.
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