House committee approves bill allowing victims of ‘trans’ drugs, surgeries to sue
(LifeSiteNews) — The U.S. House Judiciary Committee has approved a bill establishing a federal right of civil action that would allow minors who have undergone so-called gender affirming surgeries and medical treatments and their parents to sue hospitals, clinics, and medical professionals for damages, including detransition medical expenses and damages for emotional distress, pain and suffering.
The legislation, H.R.7651, known as the Chloe Cole Act, would also outright ban sex-change surgeries, puberty blockers, and hormone replacement therapy for anyone under age 19 across the nation.
Republicans on the committee voted unanimously to advance the bill while all Democrats opposed it.
The bill’s chief sponsors, Rep. Bob Onder (R—Missouri) and Rep. Mike Kennedy (R—Utah), say that their proposed legislation, now making its way through Congress, will put a stop to one of the most dangerous medical procedures in modern history.
A statement issued on Friday by Kennedy’s office explains that mounting evidence from American medical groups shows that the burgeoning medical-transgender industry is using the wrong approach to getting these kids the help they need.
“As both a physician and a legislator, my primary commitment has consistently been the safety and well-being of our children. We are seeing a disturbing trend where radical ideologies have overtaken evidence-based medicine, causing irreversible and terrible damage to children,” said Kennedy. “The evidence shows that puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgical procedures are extremely harmful and simply the wrong approach.”
“I led the way in 2023 by passing landmark legislation in Utah that set the standard for states around the nation in stopping these evil practices, and the Chloe Cole Act takes that success to the national level,” added Kennedy.
“As a member of Congress, a physician, a parent, and a concerned American, I am committed to safeguarding the health and well-being of our nation’s children,” said Rep. Onder. “That is why I am proud to reintroduce the Chloe Cole Act of 2026. The importance of this legislation is non-negotiable. This is a landmark bill that will permanently end one of the most dangerous and barbaric medical practices in modern history.”
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“Every child deserves the chance to grow up whole, yet we are watching an entire generation be led down a path of irreversible medical heartbreak before they even know who they truly are,” noted Tiffany Justice, Executive Vice President of Heritage Action, when the proposed law was introduced earlier this year. “Chloe Cole’s bravery in speaking the truth has exposed a system that chose ideology over the safety of our daughters and sons.”
“The Chloe Cole Act is not just about a law; it is about stopping the sterilization of our children and ensuring that no more families are shattered by the lies of a sex rejecting industry,” added Justice. “We are standing up for the innocence of childhood and the sacred bond between parent and child that should never, ever be broken.”
The legislation is named for Chloe Cole, a young woman who “detransitioned” after being given puberty blockers and testosterone injections at 13 and having her breasts removed at 15. By age 18 Cole had become an outspoken critic of the transgender medical industry, speaking on behalf of countless kids whose lives have been severely damaged by the procedures.
Speaking to a Senate committee in June, Cole that her parents were manipulated by the medical staff when they were offered a dire Hobson’s choice: “Transition your daughter or bury her.”
“That’s the lie my parents were told. What they weren’t told was that trying to change my sex would destroy my mental health, or more importantly, that we had another much healthier option: Saying ‘No’ to all of this,” Cole said.
https://x.com/ChloeCole/status/2062267388913934511
Meanwhile, Rep. Diana Harshbarger has introduced the Treatment and Restoration Uniformity and Transparency in Health Coverage (TRUTH in Coverage) Act which would require private health plans covering sex-rejecting procedures to also cover restorative care for individuals who experience complications, adverse effects, or later seek to restore bodily function.
“It’s outrageous that a health plan can cover sex-rejecting procedures but refuse to cover the restorative care patients need to address the harm they cause. That’s not a fair deal for patients who want to restore healthy bodily function,” explained Harshbarger.
“Patients should never be abandoned after undergoing life-altering, harmful medical interventions once reality sets in,” she added. “As a pharmacist, I’ve seen insurance companies find every excuse in the book to avoid paying for the care patients actually need. My TRUTH in Coverage Act restores fairness, promotes transparency, and ensures patients aren’t left paying the price for care their insurance should cover.”
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