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WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) defended Boston Children’s Hospital during a House Energy and Commerce Committee Health Subcommittee hearing on legislation that would block critical federal funding for teaching programs at children’s hospitals that provide gender-affirming care.

Footage of Trahan’s remarks during the House Energy and Commerce Committee Health Subcommittee Hearing can be accessed by clicking HERE or the image below. A full transcript of the exchange is included below.

 

 

“Boston Children’s Hospital is home to the first pediatric and adolescent transgender health program in the United States. However, misinformation has repeatedly spread online suggesting the hospital performed gender-affirming genital surgeries on young children when in reality surgeries are only performed on consenting adults,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “But that hasn’t stopped health care workers at Boston Children’s from being subjected to threats and attacks, threats and attacks by the way, that are a direct result of a coordinated campaign designed to – and I’m quoting a Conservative Political Action Conference speaker here – ‘eradicate transgenderism.’ And by inviting a witness to elevate that dangerous rhetoric in the United States Congress, the majority is allowing a target to be painted on the backs of some of our nation’s most vulnerable children and the health care professionals they rely on.”

The legislative hearing today included a number of bipartisan public health proposals. The only partisan bill in the committee hearing was focused on funding for the Children's Hospitals Graduate Medical Education Payment (CHGME) program that supports children’s hospitals that, like Boston Children’s Hospital, train future pediatric specialists. The legislation, only supported by Republicans, would block federal funding for hospitals that provide gender-affirming care to children. One of the Republican witnesses who testified in support of the legislation during the hearing previously amplified misinformation about Boston Children’s Hospital that eventually led to threats of violence.

“Time and time again I’ve heard my colleagues across the aisle discuss the urgent need to address the youth mental health crisis. But we can’t do that if we ignore the fact that trans youth are suffering higher rates of mental illness, higher rates of suicidal ideation, and higher rates of self-harm,” Congresswoman Trahan continued. “We should be working to increase access to health care for all of our children, not to restrict the ability of children to define and express themselves.  A ban on gender-affirming care is dangerous, it’s misguided, and it’s cruel. And it’s a shame that Republicans are using what should be a bipartisan piece of legislation to contribute to the dangerous attack on our most vulnerable children.”

During Trahan’s line of questioning, she pointed out that while just 59 children’s hospitals nationwide receive CHGME funding, representing one percent of all hospitals in the United States, those facilities train more than half of all pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The only federal support for Boston Children’s Hospital training program comes from the CHGME program.

 

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Congresswoman Lori Trahan

Remarks as Delivered

Energy & Commerce Committee

June 14, 2023

 

Trahan: I thank the chair.

 

I’m grateful to all the witnesses who came today prepared to talk about the bipartisan public health bills that are being covered in the hearing. We desperately need to advance proposals to address firefighter cancer rates, end Parkinson’s, tackle the maternal health crisis, and so much more.

But like so many of my colleagues, I’m disappointed that the legislation focused on critical funding for our children’s hospitals – that’s the one bill that’s been politicized, which is why so many of the moms on this committee are speaking up.

There are 59 children’s hospitals who receive funds for Graduate Medical Education from CHGME, just one percent of all hospitals in the country. But together, they train more than half of all pediatricians and pediatric specialists across the country.

Boston Children’s Hospital, in my home state, is home to one of those training programs. In fact, the training program at Boston Children’s receives no funding through Medicare, meaning it relies solely on CHGME funds to support their work with interns, residents, and fellows. The team at Boston Children’s works around the clock to serve the children who travel from all over the country for specialized care. They deserve to feel supported by those of us in positions of power – not like they’re pawns in a political game.

Pediatric providers are training, learning, and making contributions to advance and promote high quality and effective care and treatment that every single one of us would want for our own child, if it was ever needed. Dr. McNamara, what are some of the challenges the pediatric care workforce is facing, and can you give examples of the specialized care that would be disrupted if a partisan battle over reauthorization of CHGME continues?

Dr. McNamara: Children need us more than ever. They have more complex health needs and mental health needs than they ever have. Part of that is because we’re very good at providing advanced care that we’ve been developing over the years, and part of it is because of the current post-pandemic climate.

The examples of care that would be affected would be care for congenital heart disease, intensive care for sick kids, sick neonates, routine well care, dentistry – I could go on.

Trahan: I appreciate that.

Boston Children’s Hospital is home to the first pediatric and adolescent transgender health program in the United States. However, misinformation has repeatedly spread online suggesting the hospital performed gender-affirming genital surgeries on young children when in reality surgeries are only performed on consenting adults. But that hasn’t stopped health care workers at Boston Children’s from being subjected to threats and attacks, threats and attacks by the way, that are a direct result of a coordinated campaign designed to – and I’m quoting a Conservative Political Action Conference speaker here – “eradicate transgenderism.”

And by inviting a witness to elevate that dangerous rhetoric in the United States Congress, the majority is allowing a target to be painted on the backs of some of our nation’s most vulnerable children and the health care professionals they rely on. Dr. McNamara, can you speak to the dangers of increased threats and attacks on our nation’s pediatric health care professionals? And do you think this intimidation undermines their ability to recruit specialists or continue providing a high level of care? 

Dr. McNamara: I absolutely do. I think if I was a medical student looking at the current political climate, it would feel overwhelming.

Trahan: I appreciate your candor, Doctor.

Time and time again I’ve heard my colleagues across the aisle discuss the urgent need to address the youth mental health crisis. But we can’t do that if we ignore the fact that trans youth are suffering higher rates of mental illness, higher rates of suicidal ideation, and higher rates of self-harm, a problem with a large body of medical literature demonstrating that with support at home, in school, and in communities – coupled with access to gender-affirming care – trans youth do as well on mental health measures as their cisgender peers.

We should be working to increase access to health care for all of our children, not to restrict the ability of children to define and express themselves.  A ban on gender-affirming care is dangerous, it’s misguided, and it’s cruel. And it’s a shame that Republicans are using what should be a bipartisan piece of legislation to contribute to the dangerous attack on our most vulnerable children. They deserve better.

I yield back. 

 

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