Takano Leads 69 Members of Congress in Demanding Answers from VA Secretary on Attacks on Trans Veterans

March 28, 2025
Press Release

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressional Equality Caucus Chair and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39) led 69 Members of Congress in condemning Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins’ recent attacks on transgender veterans and demanding answers to a series of questions to further Congressional Democrats’ oversight of VA’s attacks on veterans.

In the letter, the Members state:

“We write in strong opposition to your decision to rescind Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Directive 1341(4), “Providing Health Care for Transgender and Intersex Veterans” and to phase out medically necessary care for transgender veterans.”

The Members continue:

“Your decision to rescind this directive was just the latest action by President Trump and VA to end support for transgender veterans. Since President Trump took office, VA facilities have stopped allowing transgender veterans to access single-sex facilities, including restrooms, consistent with their gender identity, VA employees have been told to remove transgender affirming materials, and there have been reports of veteran health records being updated to remove patients’ gender identity. Even small symbols of support—like displaying pride flags—have been banned by this Administration. These actions intentionally create an environment that is unnecessarily hostile toward transgender veterans, which will undermine efforts to provide these veterans with the services and care they need.”

The Members end their letter by imploring Secretary Collins to “immediately reinstate VHA Directive 1341(4) and reverse your decision to end treatments for gender dysphoria,” and to respond with answers to questions regarding:

  • How much VHA spent on all medical care in 2024, including treatments for gender dysphoria, hormone treatments, and erectile dysfunction treatments;

  • What major medical association guidelines or medical providers VA consulted before deciding to phase out medical treatments for gender dysphoria;

  • Why VHA believed on March 14, 2025, they had to go through rulemaking to restrict medical care offered to trans veterans but then on March 17, 2025, announced they were restricting this care without rulemaking;

  • How VHA providers are expected to provide ethical, culturally competent care for transgender veterans without a record of their gender identity; 

  • How VA is enforcing its ban on transgender people using single-sex facilities like bathrooms;

  • What changes or limits are being made to trans and intersex veterans’ mental health care; and,

  • What steps, resources and investments, the VA is taking to provide additional suicide prevention and mental health resources for transgender and intersex veterans in response to the hostile environment that the Trump Administration is subjecting them to.


The letter also calls on VA to provide unredacted copies of all communications and documents relating to VA’s decisions to rescind VHA Directive 1341(4) and phase out treatments for gender dysphoria.

The full letter can be read here.