MICHAEL M. HONDA COMMITrEE ON APPROPRIATIONS17TH DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA SUBCOMMITrEES:

WASHINGTON OFFICE: COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCELABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,

1713 LONGWORTH HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING EDUCATIONWASHINGTON, DC 20515PHONE: (202) 2252631FAX: (202) 2252699 SENIOR WHIP

http://www.honda.house.govCONGRESSIONAL ASIAN PACIFICD~TRiCT oFFICE: 1on~~~ of t~je ~1rnteb ~tate~ AMERICAN CAUCUS, CHAIR EMERITUS

SUITE 670W SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT~ou~e ot 3~epre~tntatdje~ COALITION, VICE CHAIR(855) 6803759 LGBT EQUALITY CAUCUS,

FAX: (408) 4362721 VICE CHAIR

June 24, 2015

The Honorable Ashton Carter, Ph.D.Secretary of Defense1000 Defense PentagonWashington, DC 20301-1000

Dear Secretary Carter:

We are writing to urge the Department of Defense (DoD) to amend its outdated anddiscriminatory directives1 and regulations2 to permit transgender individuals to serveopenly in the U.S. military. More than 15,000 dedicated members of our military areforced to serve in silence because of these medically unjustified policies.

In 2014, a nonpartisan national commission, comprised of medical and psychologicalexperts, concluded in a report on Pentagon policies that excluding transgender servicemembers is not medically sound.3 The report specifically concludes that removing theban would advance a number ofmilitary interests, including enabling commanders tobetter care for their service members, creating an equitable standard for hormone-relatedtreatments, and strengthening the continuity of care between Military Health Service andthe Veterans Health Administration. The most trusted and prominent scientific andmedical voices have been unequivocal in their conclusions that there is no sound medicaljustification for banning transgender individuals from service.

The Department of Defense can and should change its policies. As issued by DoD, thepurpose of DoDI 6130.03 is to establish medical standards, which if not met, aregrounds for rejection for military service. Furthermore, DoD states its policy is toutilize common physical standards for the appointment, enlistment, or induction ofService personnel and eliminate inconsistencies and inequities based on race, sex, orlocation 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 aninequity based on sex.

We understand that the Pentagon is currently reviewing its Accession Medical Standardsfor a routine update of its policies and that the issue of gender identity is in the first partof this 18-month review. We urge you to amend the policies before the end of this 18-

DoDI 6130.03. Medical Standards for Appointment, Enlistment, or Induction in the Military Services.2 Army Regulation 40-50 1. Standards of Medical Fitness.Palm Center. 2014. Report of the Transgender Military Service Commission.

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month period, because these discriminatory policies continue to affect over 15,000servicemembers. Furthermore, we appreciate and fully support the recent changes toelevate decision-making authority for discharges involving gender identity toheadquarters, 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 DianeSchroer, who enlisted as David Schroer. She was an Airborne Ranger qualified SpecialForces officer who completed over 450 parachute jumps, received numerous decorationsincluding the Defense Superior Service Medal, and was hand-picked to head up aclassified national security operation under President George W. Bush. She began takingsteps to transition from male to female shortly after retiring as a Colonel after 25 years ofdistinguished service in the Army.

We implore the Department of Defense to amend its discriminatory policies to reflect thebroad scientific and medical consensus for transgender service. Our servicemembersdeserve nothing less.

Sincerely,

/ L.LddI.Michael M. Honda Ral jalva

FScott Peters Charles B. Rangel

Mike Quigley Alan Lowenthal

Barbara Lee W es .McGovern

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ackie SpcDermott

~Po1is \ Donald S. Beyer J

I-rrold Nadler

Mark Takano

I,4__~~4mII.fl chakowsky

Mark Pocan

4

a (3. Eshoo Peter Welch

Carolyn B.

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