Republicans blast Biden administration's plan to have VA cover gender transition surgery

GOP lawmakers have leveled criticism against the plan for Veterans Affairs health coverage to include gender transition procedures.

"We are taking the first necessary steps to expand VA's care to include gender confirmation surgery -- thereby allowing transgender vets to go through the full gender confirmation process with VA at their side," VA Secretary Denis McDonough said Saturday, according to CNN. "There are several steps to take, and that will take time," he said. "But we are moving ahead, methodically, because we want this important change in policy to be implemented in a manner that has been thoroughly considered to ensure that the services made available to veterans meet VA's rigorous standards of quality health care."

But House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Rep. Mike Bost, a veteran who served in the Marines, took issue with the move.

"President Biden and Secretary McDonough should be less focused on winning the culture wars and more focused on helping the veterans who are suffering from the actual wars," House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Rep. Mike Bost told the outlet. "Congress has been waiting for months for them to come to the table and help us deliver care and benefits to toxic-exposed veterans who are sick and dying. We have gotten no response," he said. "Yet, somehow they found time to decide that taxpayers should pay for gender transition surgeries at VA medical facilities."

Montana GOP Rep. Matt Rosendale described the move as a "radical policy proposal."

"Advocating for taxpayer-funded gender transition surgeries is an absolute disgrace," Rosendale said in a statement to Fox News. "This is yet another radical policy proposal by an administration with no concern for the reality of its harmful effects on those suffering from mental illness who have sacrificed for our country."