Moore Introduces ‘Readiness Over Wokeness Act’ to Ban Transgender Service in Military

U.S. Representative Barry Moore (R-AL1) has introduced the Readiness Over Wokeness Act, The bill reinstates restrictions on transgender individuals serving in the U.S. military. 

The bill would codify Executive Order 14183, titled “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness,” signed by President Donald Trump on January 27, 2025. This Executive Order directs the Department of Defense to revise policies to exclude individuals who identify with a gender different from their biological sex from military service, citing concerns over unit cohesion, mental and physical readiness, and overall military effectiveness.

The Order mandates that within 60 days, the Department of Defense must update medical enlistment and retention standards to align with this directive. It also requires service members to use facilities corresponding to their assigned sex, with exceptions only in cases of operational necessity. Furthermore, the use of pronouns inconsistent with one's assigned sex is to be discontinued, as it is deemed to compromise the ability of the government to establish high standards for troop readiness, lethality, cohesion, honesty, humility, uniformity, and integrity.

Moore’s proposed legislation would reverse an earlier Biden administration policy allowing transgender service members.

Co-sponsors of the bill include Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Harriet Hageman (R-WO), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), and Andrew Clyde (R-GA).

Under the bill, individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria, or those who have received or are undergoing gender-affirming care, would be barred from military service. It also requires the Secretary of Defense to reexamine a service member’s eligibility for access to classified materials following their separation from the Armed Forces.

Rep. Moore defended the bill as a measure to protect national defense capabilities.

“The American people deserve a fighting force that is capable and prepared at any moment to address and deter risks to our nation,” Moore said in a statement. “Serving in the military requires the ability to sustain high mental and physical standards. Transgender people have medical, surgical, and mental health concerns that limit their ability to sustain these standards. I am proud to introduce this bill to codify President Trump’s Executive Order to ensure the woke insanity that occurred under the Biden Administration no longer compromises our military strength and readiness.”

President Biden lifted the Trump-era ban in January 2021, allowing all qualified Americans to serve regardless of gender identity. At the time, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated, “If you’re fit and you’re qualified to serve and you can maintain the standards, you should be allowed to serve.”

President Trump’s original ban, announced via Twitter in 2017 and formalized in 2019, faced multiple legal challenges and widespread criticism from civil rights organizations and military advocacy groups. Supporters argued it upheld military readiness; critics labeled it discriminatory and unsupported by data.

The President’s January 27th, 2025 Executive Order was initially blocked by a federal court order. However, on May 6, the Supreme Court allowed the Order to be implemented while other challenges against it proceed in lower courts.

The Readiness Over Wokeness Act aims to enshrine these policy changes into law, ensuring that the restrictions on transgender individuals serving in the military remain in effect beyond the current administration.

Executive Order 14183 may be found HERE. The full text of the Readiness Over Wokeness Act is HERE.