Congress is moving ahead with a massive new defense policy bill that would bar transgender women from competing in sports at U.S. military academies. The 3,086-page package authorizes a record $901 billion in defense spending for 2026—$8 billion more than President Trump requested. The bill orders the Secretary of Defense to ensure that military academies do not permit anyone “whose sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls,” defining sex as a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.
The measure has already been negotiated by Republicans and Democrats and is headed for a House vote this week, leaving little room for changes. One earlier proposal, blocking Defense Department funding for gender-affirming surgeries, was dropped. But many other restrictions remain. A House version approved in September stated, “No gender transition procedures, including surgery or medication, may be provided to a minor dependent child through an EFMP.”
Advocates warn that each year’s must-pass National Defense Authorization Act becomes a vehicle for anti-trans provisions that might not survive on their own. As Mother Jones reporters noted, the NDAA is now part of a broader, coordinated effort to limit gender-affirming care nationwide.
