[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 25, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H3906]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   LGBTQ+ SERVICEMEMBERS DESERVE ACCESS TO LIFESAVING HEALTHCARE AND 
                                SERVICES

  (Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the 
heinous attack on LGBTQ+ servicemembers and veterans, including in the 
fiscal year Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related 
Agencies appropriations bill.
  While it is no surprise that Republicans continue their consistent 
attempts to dehumanize, discriminate, and devalue LGBTQ+ people, it is 
shameful that they have chosen to carry this distasteful political 
attack into this body's appropriations process. Why?
  This is a voluntary military, Mr. Speaker. There are 1 million gay 
and lesbian veterans, and more than 130,000 of them identify as 
transgender. On top of that, 65,000 Active Duty members currently 
serving in our military identify as LGBTQ+.
  In their bill, which we will debate later on this week, Republicans 
argue that we should turn our backs on these volunteers who have 
dedicated their lives to serving our country. Saying that they do not 
deserve access to lifesaving healthcare services based on their 
identity is ridiculous.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to stick with our LGBTQ+ 
veterans.

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