The 5 Republicans who voted to condemn Trump’s transgender military ban

A handful of GOP lawmakers on Thursday crossed the aisle to vote with Democrats in rejecting the Trump administration’s transgender military ban.

The House passed a nonbinding resolution formally condemning the ban in a 238-185 vote.

{mosads}The administration recently said members of the military will be required to serve as the gender they were assigned at birth starting next month, a move that essentially rolls back the Obama administration’s policy from June 2016.

Here are the five Republicans who bucked party leadership and voted for the resolution:

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.)

Rep. Trey Hollingsworth (Ind.)

Rep. Will Hurd (Texas)

Rep. John Katko (N.Y.)

Rep. Tom Reed (N.Y.)

The resolution — introduced by Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.) and co-sponsored by Katko — says the House strongly opposes the “discriminatory ban on transgender members of the Armed Forces; rejects the flawed scientific and medical claims upon which it is based; and strongly urges the Department of Defense to not reinstate President Trump’s ban on trans­gen­der members of the Armed Forces and to maintain an inclusive policy allowing qualified transgender Americans to enlist and serve in the Armed Forces.” 

Katko said he believes those who are willing and able to serve their country should be allowed to do so.

“I just think if someone is able-bodied and able to serve in the military, that’s good enough for me. And I think that enough in the military community have said, ‘You know, able-bodied transgender people can serve,’ ” he told The Hill following Thursday’s vote.

Hollingsworth, who has previously voted against having the military pay for transition procedures, explained his vote in a statement to The Hill.

“The honor of serving our country and protecting American freedoms should be open to anyone who can pass the physical, psychological, and medical exams,” he said.

Supporters of Trump’s decision argue it is not a ban on serving since the administration’s new policy will allow transgender people to serve in their biological sex.

The measure passed 238-185, with one Republican, Rep. Justin Amash (Mich.), voting present.