# 119-hr-5635: Veterans Healthcare Equality Act of 2025

119-hr-5635, Veterans Healthcare Equality Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26] (D-NY); status in_committee; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-07-25).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5635
- As of: 2026-07-25
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-5635
- Congress: 119
- Title: Veterans Healthcare Equality Act of 2025
- Status: in_committee
- Introduced: 2025-09-30
- Sponsor: Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26] (D-NY)
- Cosponsors: 28
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-07-25

## Summary

**Prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in VA health care.** This bill would bar the Department of Veterans Affairs from denying medically necessary treatments for gender dysphoria that a health care provider prescribes and would require regular briefings to congressional Veterans' Affairs committees on care for transgender veterans. - Transgender veterans: Would block the VA from refusing medically necessary gender dysphoria treatments and affirms that such treatments are supported by major U.S. medical associations. - VA patients and staff: Would require the VA to ensure no one is discriminated against when receiving hospital care, medical services, or extended care services under the VA health care program. - Congressional oversight: Would require an initial briefing not later than 90 days after enactment and quarterly briefings thereafter to House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees on furnishing care to transgender veterans and on implementation.

## Cosponsors (28)

- Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39] (D-CA), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large] (D-VT), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3] (D-IL), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3] (D-AZ), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] (D-NY), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] (D-NY), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8] (D-IL), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11] (D-VA), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] (D-CA), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14] (D-NY), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28] (D-CA), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2] (D-MN), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2025-10-03T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14] (D-IL), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15] (D-CA), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1] (D-NH), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3] (D-KY), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3] (D-OR), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large] (D-DE), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20] (D-FL), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6] (D-WA), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43] (D-CA), 2025-10-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29] (D-TX), 2026-02-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] (D-MA), 2026-07-23T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Equal VA care for transgender veterans: benefit, medium. This bill would bar the VA from discriminating based on gender identity in health care. The VA would not be able to deny medically necessary treatment for gender dysphoria when a provider prescribes it. These rules would apply to VA hospital care, medical services, and extended care under chapter 1…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act
- 119-hr-15: Equality Act
- 119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-5635 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5635)

## Related
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5390)
- [119-hr-15: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-15)
- [119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1589)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5635 (as of 2026-07-25).