Legislation Targets Interstate Transport of Minors for Irreversible Gender Medical Procedures
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) today introduced H.R.7420 - The Stop Gender Trafficking of Minors Act, legislation to establish clear federal protections against the interstate transport of minors for irreversible gender transition medical procedures.
The bill makes it a federal offense to knowingly transport a minor across state lines to obtain gender transition procedures intended to alter a child's sex characteristics in a manner inconsistent with their biological sex, creates civil remedies for affected children and families, and ensures federal taxpayer dollars are not used to subsidize or shield such practices by states or municipalities characterizing themselves as "transgender sanctuaries."
"As some states are passing laws to protect children from gender mutilation procedures and harmful gender altering practices, other states and cities are declaring themselves as 'transgender sanctuary cities and states' for so-called 'gender affirming care,'" said Crenshaw. "Children should not be transported across state lines to undergo irreversible medical procedures that are abusive and harmful just to circumvent home state laws or keep parents and guardians in the dark. This bill draws a clear, defensible line: exploiting interstate loopholes to bypass state safeguards is unacceptable, and Congress has a responsibility to act."
The Stop Gender Trafficking of Minors Act uses Congress’s well-established authority over interstate commerce to address this gap, consistent with longstanding federal laws designed to protect children from interstate exploitation.
A growing body of international medical guidance has advised against the routine use of puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender altering surgeries for minors, absent long-term evidence of benefit and safety. The rise in detransition and regret among young adults who underwent such procedures as minors further underscores the need for robust federal safeguards. The Federal Government has a compelling interest in protecting minors from experimental and irreversible medical procedures that may result in long-term harm, including sterilization, loss of sexual function, and psychological distress.
“This isn’t about politics,” Crenshaw added. "It’s about child safety and ensuring federal law keeps up with the reality of radical leftist lawmakers at the state and local level creating loopholes to harm and exploit children with life-altering gender procedures."
The Stop Gender Trafficking of Minors Act is currently under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives.