Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC-01) has introduced an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would prohibit the Department of War from using taxpayer funds for gender-transition procedures or treatments through TRICARE, the military’s health care program.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are restoring truth and common sense to the government,” said Congresswoman Mace. “Taxpayer dollars should never be used to fund gender-bending surgeries or hormone treatments. Our military’s purpose is to defend America, not to indulge radical experiments in gender ideology. This amendment ensures defense resources strengthen our fighting force and protect our nation, not bankroll procedures with no place in our armed forces.”
The proposed amendment would prevent TRICARE from covering gender-transition treatments for service members and their dependents. Prohibited treatments include surgeries, puberty blockers, and hormone therapies intended for gender transition. Exceptions are outlined only for rare cases involving disorders of sex development, ambiguous biological sex characteristics, or when medical care is required due to injury, infection, or disease.
Mace’s amendment follows an executive order by President Trump titled “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth,” which states that taxpayer resources should not support gender ideology initiatives within federal agencies.
This legislative effort builds on previous bills introduced by Rep. Mace aimed at restricting policies related to gender identity within federal programs. These include measures such as barring biological men from participating in girls’ sports at Department of Defense schools, limiting access to certain facilities based on biological sex, and preventing taxpayer funding for transgender-related animal research.
Nancy Mace has represented South Carolina’s 1st district in the U.S. Congress since 2021 after replacing Joe Cunningham. She previously served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 2018 to 2020 and graduated from The Citadel in 1999 with a BS degree. Born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina in 1977, she currently resides in Charleston.
