Transgender Law Center (TLC) issued the following statement from executive director Kris Hayashi condemning today’s passage of the GOP tax bill, which will decimate health care, education, social services, and innumerable programs that many transgender people rely on. Trump, whose signature is the last remaining step for the bill to become law, has indicated he might wait until January to sign.
“Transgender people and the country as a whole will feel the devastating impact of today’s vote for years to come. This legislation weakens the Affordable Care Act, which has expanded access to health care for many transgender people, and carves out $1.5 trillion worth of giveaways for millionaires and corporations. What’s more, the GOP has already admitted that this is just the first blow of a one-two punch aimed at dismantling crucial social services.
Transgender people, particularly transgender people of color, already face intense violence and discrimination in housing, employment, education, health care, and all areas of public life. The last thing our country needs is to destroy the support systems and services, including essential health care, that many in our community rely on to survive. The bill Congress just sent to the President’s desk is a direct attack on our communities, shamefully carried out to further enrich the wealthiest people in our country.”