Maine’s new congressman, 2nd District Democrat Jared Golden, said Tuesday he is opposed to President Donald Trump’s effort to restrict transgender people from military service.
“I believe anyone who loves America and has the courage to serve should be given that opportunity and respected for it,” Golden said in a statement on Twitter.
Golden, who serves on the Armed Forces Committee, vowed to use his seat on the panel “to fight for ALL our service members.”
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed 5-4 on Tuesday to allow Trump to move ahead with his plans to clamp down on transgender people in the military while lower courts weigh lawsuits aimed at blocking the Trump’s plan.
“The administration is wrong about this,” said Golden, who served two combat tours as a U.S. Marine before completing his college education.
Maine’s other federal lawmakers — U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree and U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King — each took a stand against Trump’s plan when he first announced it in 2017.
Pingree, a 1st District Democrat, called Tuesday’s ruling “deeply disappointing” in a comment on Twitter.
She said the president’s ban “is rooted in ignorance and bigotry. All Americans who are willing to risk life and limb for our nation should be allowed to serve in our all-volunteer military.”
Military policy had barred service by transgender people until President Barack Obama’s administration opened the doors for transgender people already in the military to serve openly and to prepare to allow them to enlist as well.
Trump wants to bar transgender people from serving unless they do not seek to undergo gender transitions and stick to their assigned gender at birth.
Five justices, including Chief Justice John Roberts and newcomer Brett Kavanaugh, threw out lower court orders blocking Trump from taking action until the legal issues have been resolved. Four other justices, generally considered more liberal, would have left the injunctions in place.
U.S. Department of Justice Kerri Kupec said in a release that the department is “pleased the Supreme Court granted stays in these cases, clearing the way for the policy to go into effect while litigation continues.”
“The Department of Defense has the authority to create and implement personnel policies it has determined are necessary to best defend our nation,’ Kupec said. “Due to lower courts issuing nationwide injunctions, our military had been forced to maintain a prior policy that poses a risk to military effectiveness and lethality for over a year.”
Trump argued on Twitter that allowing transgender military personnel created extra costs and confusion for the armed services.
U.S. Rep. Jared Golden
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