WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Skrmetti, which upheld the State of Tennessee’s ban on youth gender-affirming care:
“Today, the Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee state statute banning minors from accessing the gender-affirming hormone therapy that they, their parents, and their doctors all agree they need. These kids and their parents should have the same rights as anyone else – to make their own informed medical decisions and be treated equally under the law. Trans youth are some of the most vulnerable people in our country, more likely to commit suicide, to be depressed, to be bullied. Like all children, they deserve to live, to find a purpose, and to pursue happiness.
“This comes as the Trump administration attacks trans Americans through executive orders, and Republicans in Congress try to use their tax bill to make changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act that will make it harder for vulnerable Americans to access healthcare. I’m proud to come from a state that trusts doctors and patients more than politicians and the government to make their own decisions about what’s best for their families.”
Senator Coons is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.