Moore Leads Floor Debate on Protect Children’s Innocence Act

Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill debated H.R. 3492, the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, on the House floor Wednesday as the chamber moved to pass the measure aimed at restricting gender-affirming medical procedures for minors. Representative Barry Moore (R-AL1) led the debate on the House floor prior to the House passing the bill by a vote of 216-211. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), would create new federal criminal offenses for providing gender-related medical treatments to people under age 18. Under the proposal, performing such procedures or prescribing hormones would be treated under law as “genital or bodily mutilation” or “chemical castration,” punishable by fines or up to ten years in prison for providers. H.R. 3492 also updates existing federal law on female genital mutilation to broaden its scope.

In his opening remarks on the floor, Rep. Moore (R-Ala.) said:

"We as a nation are facing one of the greatest crises of our time, child abuse disguised as medical intervention. Children are being coerced by adults in positions of authority into life-altering and medically questionable gender transition procedures without a full understanding of the meaning or the impact. Democrats have embraced an extreme position on this so-called gender-affirming care. They are more interested in promoting their radical left policies than protecting our children from harm. Despite the American public's widespread rejection of the practice in 2024, the radical left continues to distort the debate surrounding so-called gender-affirming care."

Moore’s comments reflected the arguments made by proponents in the GOP majority who said federal action is needed to set limits on care for minors. The bill’s supporters also pointed to Executive Order 14187, signed earlier this year directing federal agencies to curb gender-affirming care for children—language that aimed to end “chemical and surgical mutilation” of minors and called on the Department of Health and Human Services to take action.

Democrats strongly disagreed. Opponents on the floor characterized the legislation as an infringement on medical decision-making and parental rights. They argued that decisions about health care belong with doctors, patients, and families, and cautioned that restricting access to care could harm young people.

The House approved H.R. 3492 by a 216-211 vote along party lines, with three Democrats joining Republicans in support. Four Republicans broke from their party and opposed the bill.

Even with passage in the House, the bill faces a difficult path in the Senate, where the 60-vote threshold makes advancing federal restrictions unlikely. Advocates on both sides say the issue will continue to be a flashpoint in national debates over health policy, state versus federal authority, and the rights of parents and minors.

For more information on H.R. 3492, including the full text of the bill, see THIS LINK.