Shaheen Statement on President Biden’s Reversal of Trump Era Policy Banning Transgender Americans from Serving in the Military

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement after President Joe Biden reversed a Trump era policy that prohibited transgender Americans from serving in the US military:

“I applaud President Biden for taking decisive action to reverse this shameful policy that was rooted in bigotry and compromised our military readiness. Every American who wants to answer the call to serve our country should be able to, regardless of how they identify or who they love,” said Shaheen. “I’m so glad to see this discriminatory policy come to an end and look forward to working with Secretary Austin and leadership at the Pentagon to ensure our U.S. military is an inclusive atmosphere for all service members. Our policies must reflect our nation’s values and reversing this ban helps us meet that standard. For too long, this policy violated the civil liberties of transgender Americans called to serve – but not anymore.”