Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During questioning from Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, top Biden defense official Secretary Lloyd Austin supported gender non-binary individuals serving in the military but refused to answer questions about taxpayer-funded studies or plans to create non-binary housing.
After the hearing, Senator Blackburn stated, “Our armed services should be focused on one thing – defending America’s interests at home and abroad. It is concerning to me that taxpayer dollars may be funding research on and housing for gender non-binary individuals instead of finding new ways to secure our country. After this hearing, I have no confidence that the Biden White House is willing to put safety above their radical woke priorities.”
View the questioning here.
Partial Transcript:
SENATOR BLACKBURN: Secretary Austin, earlier this year, there was a report that said the Department of Defense is studying the issue of allowing gender non-binary people to serve in the military. Is that true?
SECRETARY AUSTIN: I am supportive of allowing any person that’s eligible and can meet the qualifications to serve their country.
SENATOR BLACKBURN: Who is involved in the study? Are uniformed military personnel involved?
SECRETARY AUSTIN: I can’t speak to, at this point, who’s involved in any of the studies that we have ongoing just off the top of my head, but I’ll certainly take the question for review.
SENATOR BLACKBURN: And what will the living arrangements be made for non-binary service members? Are you all going to come back to us and ask for an appropriation for housing?
SECRETARY AUSTIN: Senator, any study that we do, it will make certainly be transparent and make it available to you.
SENATOR BLACKBURN: And what about gender fluid individuals? How will you handle a service member who identifies as male on some days and female on other days or poly-gender individuals?
SECRETARY AUSTIN: I don’t care to speculate on you know, what we’re going to ask you for or how we’re going to qualify people. Again, some of this is in litigation in various states and, you know, I think it’s best to take your question for the record.