National Black Justice Collective Condemns Discriminatory Provision in NDAA Targeting Transgender Youth
CONTACT: Jordan Wilhelmi | jordan@unbendablemedia.com
CEO & Executive Director Dr. David J. Johns Calls on Senate to Remove Provision, White House to Announce it Will Veto if Necessary
WASHINGTON –Dr. David J. Johns, CEO and Executive Director of the National Black Justice Collective (NBJC), issued the following statement in response to Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives passing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with a provision targeting the health care of transgender youth on military health insurance:
“It is deeply troubling and sadly unsurprising that Republicans in the House of Representatives, previewing their Party’s platform of bigotry and targeted discrimination over the next four years, embedded a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), denying transgender children of military service members access to the health care. This unnecessary and harmful provision is part of a manufactured campaign of hatred toward transgender youth—less than 1% of the population—and represents a disturbing lack of respect for the families of those who dedicate their lives to defending this nation.
“With today’s vote, Republicans in Congress have shown a complete disregard for military families and a willingness to exploit children as political pawns. Fomenting this culture war, as a means of advancing their own careers and at the expense of the lives, dignity, and health care of the LGBTQ+/Same-gender loving(SGL) community, is the MAGA playbook, America First Agenda, and Project 2025 in action.
“Rooted in ignorance and hate, this provision is yet another example of the systemic oppression that marginalizes those who are already most vulnerable, and further evidence that racism and transphobia thrive when power is ceded instead of wielded in defense of justice. It is a painful reminder of how white mediocrity and bigotry operate—by silencing and erasing those who challenge the status quo.
“Where are the true defenders of democracy in Congress? Progressives and moderates must leverage the power afforded to the people who elected them to stand firm against attacks on our most fundamental rights. Anything less is a failure of leadership and morality. This moment demands action. Today, they come for kids’ access to therapy and medication that allow them to live with less harassment, bullying, and violence. Tomorrow, they will come for the treatment that allows you to thrive. We must own our collective power and refuse to be complicit in our own erasure and dehumanization.
“We call on the Senate to strike this provision and send a clean NDAA bill to President Biden. We also urge the White House to publicly, and unequivocally, commit to vetoing any version of the NDAA that includes this discriminatory language. Children do not ask to be born and all youth deserve dignity, respect, and access to life-saving health care—not to be used as scapegoats for political posturing.
“Let today serve as a rallying cry. Contact your senators and the White House and demand they remove this hateful provision. Let’s remind them ‘we are the roses that grew from cracks in concrete,’ birthed from ‘ancestors that did not die.’ Our community is resilient, and we will not back down. We will continue to rise against bigotry and fight for a future where all people—regardless of gender identity—are treated with dignity and respect.”