December 11, 2024 / Congresswoman Sarah Jacobs / Media CenterPress Releases - Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51) released the following statement after voting against the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included a gender-affirming care ban for dependents. If passed into law, this would mark the first time that Congress put anti-LGBTQ+ provisions into statute since Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the Defense of Marriage Act in the 1990s. This year’s NDAA also failed to include Rep. Jacobs’ bipartisan and bicameral provision to expand TRICARE coverage of IVF and other assisted reproductive technology to service members and their spouses.
Rep. Sara Jacobs said: “I’m so proud to represent San Diego – the largest military community in the country that’s home to over 118,000 service members and their families. So I know firsthand about the recent challenges to recruit and retain service members in every military branch. In my community, too many ships are understaffed because there aren’t enough service members. And too many service members aren’t joining or aren’t staying in the military – or recommending it as a career path to their relatives – because they can’t afford child care, safe housing, or food on the table. I'm so proud of everything we were able to get into this bill to address these challenges.
“But we shouldn't do anything that undermines our military recruitment, retention, and readiness. But restricting health care access – whether it’s by removing my bipartisan and bicameral provision for IVF coverage or a gender-affirming care ban for dependents – does exactly that. Our priorities should be supporting our service members and military families who sacrifice so much for us – not making their lives any harder.”
###
