Stop Gender Trafficking of Minors Act

(1) A growing body of international medical guidance has advised against the routine use of puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender altering surgeries for minors, absent long-term evidence of benefit and safety. The rise in detransition and regret among young adults who underwent such procedures as minors further underscores the need for robust Federal safeguards.

(2) The Federal Government has a compelling interest in protecting minors from experimental and irreversible medical procedures that may result in long-term harm, including sterilization, loss of sexual function, and psychological distress.

(3) The transportation of minors across state lines to receive such procedures constitutes interstate activity subject to Federal regulation under the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution.

Chapter 55 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

Whoever knowingly transports in interstate or foreign commerce, or the offender travels in interstate or foreign commerce or uses the mail or any means, facility, or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce in committing or in furtherance of the commission of the offense, a minor to facilitate the minor in obtaining a gender transition procedure shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

A minor or a parent or legal guardian of a minor who has been transported in violation of subsection (a) may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court for injunctive relief, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees.

In this section, the term gender transition procedure includes any medical or surgical intervention intended to alter the minor’s sex characteristics in a manner inconsistent with the minor’s biological sex, including:

(1) Administration of puberty-blocking medications, including transportation relating to an appointment to obtain such medication or obtaining such medication.

(2) Administration of cross-sex hormones.

(3) A surgical intervention, including a mastectomy, phalloplasty, vaginoplasty, or other procedure intended to change primary or secondary sex characteristics.

No Federal funds may be awarded to a State, unit of local government, or other governmental entity that:

(1) Enacts, implements, or maintains a policy that permits or encourages a minor to undergo a gender transition procedure by being transported across State lines.

(2) Declares itself a sanctuary jurisdiction for a gender transition procedure.

(3) Does not cooperate with a Federal investigation of a violation of section 1205 of title 18, United States Code.

(4) Fails to cooperate with Federal investigations or enforcement actions related to this Act.

In this section, the term gender transition procedure shall have the meaning given such term in section 1205 of title 18, United States Code.