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President Joe Biden speaks during a Hanukkah reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Biden signs defense bill despite objections to ban on transgender health care for military children

President Joe Biden has signed the annual defense authorization bill into law despite his objections to language banning transgender health care for military children

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE
Published - Dec 23, 2024, 09:39 PM ET
Last Updated - Dec 23, 2024, 09:39 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Monday signed into law a defense bill that authorizes significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members, aims to counter China's growing power and boosts overall military spending to $895 billion despite his objections to language stripping coverage of transgender medical treatments for children in military families.

Biden said his administration strongly opposes the provision because it targets a group based on gender identity and "interferes with parents’ roles to determine the best care for their children.” He said it also undermines the all-volunteer military's ability to recruit and retain talent.

“No service member should have to decide between their family’s health care access and their call to serve our nation,” the president said in a statement.

The Senate forwarded the bill to Biden after passing it last week by a vote of 85-14. In the House, a majority of Democrats voted against the bill after House Speaker Mike Johnson insisted on adding the provision to ban transgender medical care for children. The legislation easily passed by a vote of 281-140.

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