McCain Co-Sponsors Bill To Block Trump’s Transgender Military Ban
Arizona Senator says nobody should be turned away from volunteering to serve their country.
Senator John McCain continues to be a thorn in Donald Trump’s backside. The Arizona senator has been the most frequent and sharp critic of Trump from within the Republican party.
And now John McCain is at it again. This time, McCain is co-sponsoring a bill that would prevent Donald Trump from kicking transgender people out of the military.
The bill already has bipartisan support McCain’s announcement is a major step at reversing Trump’s ban because McCain chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The legislation would block the Defense Department from denying transgender service members the ability to reenlist or continue service in the armed forces on the basis of their gender identity.
And it would also require Defense Secretary James Mattis to complete his review of transgender troops’ effect on military readiness by the end of the year and report his results to Congress.
McCain said nobody should be turned away from volunteering to serve their country if they are able to serve.
“When less than one percent of Americans are volunteering to join the military, we should welcome all those who are willing and able to serve our country,” he said in a statement. “Any member of the military who meets the medical and readiness standards should be allowed to serve—including those who are transgender.”
The bill’s other sponsors are Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.).
[image via Wikimedia/MARC MUELLER]
