Harshbarger joins HHS Secretary Kennedy for Announcement on Protecting Children from Sex-Rejecting Procedures

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last week, Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) joined Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Mehmet Oz, and other senior HHS officials for a press conference announcing new federal actions to protect children from chemical and surgical sex-rejecting medical procedures and to ensure taxpayer dollars are no longer used to fund them.

Harshbarger issued the following statement after the event:

"As a mom, a grandmother, and a lifelong advocate for parental rights, I strongly support these actions to end the dangerous, unproven medical interventions being pushed on vulnerable children," said Congresswoman Harshbarger. "For years, the Biden administration allowed ideology to override science and common sense while families paid the price. I'm grateful to see President Trump and HHS Secretary Kennedy restore accountability, reinforce biological reality, and put the wellbeing of children first. Protecting kids shouldn't be controversial, and I will continue fighting in Congress to ensure parents are the decision makers when it comes to their child's health."

BACKGROUND:

Last week's announcement includes several actions proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services to fulfill President Trump's Week One commitment to protect children, including:

• A declaration from Secretary Kennedy stating that sex-rejecting medical interventions for minors do not meet professionally recognized standards of care.
• Proposed CMS rules prohibiting hospitals that receive Medicare or Medicaid funds from performing sex change procedures on individuals under the age of 18 and preventing Medicaid from covering such procedures.
• Revision of a Biden-era civil rights rule that suggested gender dysphoria could be treated as a disability.
• A public health message from the Assistant Secretary for Health explaining that current evidence does not support puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or surgical interventions as safe or effective treatments for minors.
• FDA enforcement actions targeting the illegal marketing of medical devices used for gender transition in children.

Additionally, a comprehensive, peer-reviewed 400-page review commissioned by HHS found that these interventions carry serious risks - including infertility, loss of sexual function, reduced bone density, metabolic and cognitive impacts, and irreversible physical harm - while lacking high-quality evidence of benefit.

Congresswoman Harshbarger has been a consistent champion for parental rights, medical transparency, and restoring evidence-based standards in pediatric care.