MICHAEL M.

HONDA

COMMITrEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

17TH DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA

SUBCOMMITrEES:

WASHINGTON OFFICE:

COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE

LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
EDUCATION

1713 LONGWORTH HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING

WASHINGTON, DC 20515
PHONE: (202) 2252631
FAX:
(202) 2252699

http://www.honda.house.gov

D~TRiCT oFFICE:
SUITE

FAX:

SENIOR WHIP

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(855) 6803759
(408) 4362721

CONGRESSIONAL ASIAN PACIFIC

AMERICAN CAUCUS, CHAIR EMERITUS
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
COALITION, VICE CHAIR

LGBT EQUALITY CAUCUS,

VICE CHAIR

June 24, 2015

The Honorable Ashton Carter, Ph.D.
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000
Dear Secretary Carter:
We are writing to urge the Department of Defense (DoD) to amend its outdated and
discriminatory directives1 and regulations2 to permit transgender individuals to serve
openly in the U.S. military. More than 15,000 dedicated members of our military are
forced to serve in silence because of these medically unjustified policies.
In 2014, a nonpartisan national commission, comprised of medical and psychological
experts, concluded in a report on Pentagon policies that excluding transgender service
members is not medically sound.3 The report specifically concludes that removing the
ban would advance a number of military interests, including enabling commanders to
better care for their service members, creating an equitable standard for hormone-related
treatments, and strengthening the continuity of care between Military Health Service and
the Veterans Health Administration. The most trusted and prominent scientific and
medical voices have been unequivocal in their conclusions that there is no sound medical
justification for banning transgender individuals from service.
The Department of Defense can and should change its policies. As issued by DoD, the
purpose of DoDI 6130.03 is to establish medical standards, which if not met, are
grounds for rejection for military service. Furthermore, DoD states its policy is to
utilize common physical standards for the appointment, enlistment, or induction of
Service personnel and eliminate inconsistencies and inequities based on race, sex, or
location of examination in the application of these standards by the Military Services.
The current DoD directive is no longer in line with the latest science and creates an
inequity based on sex.
We understand that the Pentagon is currently reviewing its Accession Medical Standards
for a routine update of its policies and that the issue of gender identity is in the first part
of this 18-month review. We urge you to amend the policies before the end of this 18DoDI 6130.03. Medical Standards for Appointment, Enlistment, or Induction in the Military Services.
Army Regulation 40-50 1. Standards of Medical Fitness.

Palm Center. 2014. Report of the Transgender Military Service Commission.

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

month period, because these discriminatory policies continue to affect over 15,000
servicemembers. Furthermore, we appreciate and fully support the recent changes to
elevate decision-making authority for discharges involving gender identity to
headquarters, but this is only an interim step.
We have seen many cases of distinguished servicemembers performing honorably,
irrespective of their gender identity. One of the most notable cases is that of Diane
Schroer, who enlisted as David Schroer. She was an Airborne Ranger qualified Special
Forces officer who completed over 450 parachute jumps, received numerous decorations
including the Defense Superior Service Medal, and was hand-picked to head up a
classified national security operation under President George W. Bush. She began taking
steps to transition from male to female shortly after retiring as a Colonel after 25 years of
distinguished service in the Army.
We implore the Department of Defense to amend its discriminatory policies to reflect the
broad scientific and medical consensus for transgender service. Our servicemembers
deserve nothing less.
Sincerely,
/
Michael M. Honda

Scott Peters

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Charles B. Rangel

Mike Quigley

Barbara Lee

Alan Lowenthal

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