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Sen Hawley warns it would be 'unconscionable' if billions of taxpayer funds flow to trans kids’ sex changes
By Alexandra Koch
Published April 23, 2026
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is calling on House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to immediately block taxpayer funding for sex change treatment for minors, warning that billions of federal dollars could soon flow to providers like Planned Parenthood.
In a letter penned to Johnson on Thursday afternoon, Hawley emphasized that "time is of the essence," noting a current federal ban on taxpayer payments to abortion and "trans-treatment" providers is set to expire July 4.
Hawley’s recent attempt to pass a similar ban in the Senate was rejected Wednesday night, putting the responsibility squarely on the House.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing Wednesday in Washington, D.C. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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"If the House fails to act immediately as part of reconciliation, billions of Federal dollars will go to Planned Parenthood and other medical 'providers' for hormones, puberty blockers, and irreversible treatments for minor children," Hawley wrote, calling the prospect "unconscionable."
Hawley warned that billions of dollars will potentially be diverted from Medicaid.
Hawley described the idea of federally funding child sex changes "unconscionable." (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Citing a Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimate, the senator pointed out that Planned Parenthood alone received more than $1.5 billion in Medicare and Medicaid funds between 2019 and 2021.
Hawley also referenced a new study from Concerned Women for America, which found a more than 40% increase in sex change treatment and related services at Planned Parenthood clinics.
Activists opposing funding for Planned Parenthood demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call/Getty Images)
He argued that the organization is "positioned to supercharge its transgender agenda with taxpayer funding taken from the elderly and those in need," demanding Johnson take action "without delay or hesitation."
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Had it passed, the budget amendment presented by Hawley on Wednesday would have been added to the Congressional budget resolution for fiscal year 2026 and created a pathway to defund abortion providers — provided it did not increase the national debt.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sen-hawley-warns-unconscionable-billions-taxpayer-funds-flow-trans-kids-sex-changes