Rep. Onder Newsletter: The Chloe Cole Act Advances Out of Judiciary Committee

The issue of gender activists exploiting our vulnerable children is important to me not only as a Congressman, but also as a physician and a parent. For the last 15 years, but especially since the COVID lockdowns, a whole ecosystem of activists, counselors, psychologists, and unscrupulous doctors have exploited the suffering of vulnerable children. These are children who are often struggling with depression, anxiety, autism, the trauma of abuse, or simply the physical and emotional challenges of puberty.

Families are told that if they do not consent to transgender medical procedures, their child will likely die by suicide. They are asked a manipulative question: "Would you rather have a live son or a dead daughter?"

That is why it is so critical that this week the House Judiciary Committee advanced my bill, the Chloe Cole Act, which will now move toward a vote on the House floor.

During the committee markup, I emphasized that there is little to no credible evidence that chemically or surgically altering a child's body addresses the underlying mental health challenges they are facing. In fact, one of the most significant studies on this issue, published by Finnish researchers in Acta Paediatrica, found that serious mental health disorders actually became significantly worse following these procedures.

Democrats argued that my bill would be dangerous for gender-confused children, but that claim could not be further from the truth. I became a physician, and later a Congressman, to help people, not harm them. The Chloe Cole Act simply gives minors and their families, if they have been harmed by sex-rejecting procedures, the ability to hold clinics and doctors accountable while ensuring they have adequate time to seek justice.

Chloe Cole is one of a growing number of young people who were failed by the very adults who were supposed to protect them. She was placed on puberty blockers, then testosterone, beginning at just 12 years old. At 15, she underwent a double mastectomy. By 16, she deeply regretted those irreversible decisions. Today, she lives with serious health complications because adults allowed a minor to make life-altering medical decisions. Chloe previously testified before the Judiciary Committee that she was never suicidal until after undergoing these procedures. Sadly, her story is not unique. Detransitioners across the country have shared experiences of lasting physical and psychological harm, including anxiety, depression, surgical complications, blood clots, bone and endocrine disorders, infertility, and lifelong medical dependence.

These young people deserve compassion. They deserve accountability. And they deserve justice. The Chloe Cole Act gives victims and their families a private right of action when they have been harmed. This bill represents hope.

Hope for Chloe.

Hope for the courageous detransitioners who have shared their stories.

Hope for the children this legislation will protect in the future.

And hope that common sense can once again guide how we care for our nation's children.

This week, President Donald Trump addressed our nation on the importance of the SAVE America Act, and I could not agree more with his statements. Protecting the integrity of our elections is one of Congress's most important responsibilities, and we have a unique opportunity to restore confidence in our election system and ensure that every legal vote is protected.

The need for action is clear. The Department of Homeland Security recently announced that a review of public voter files in states that have not utilized the SAVE database identified more than 250,000 noncitizens who are illegally registered to vote. Election officials in California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Nevada have been notified, and DHS is expanding its investigation into additional states.

The SAVE database provides state and local election officials with a reliable tool to verify an individual's immigration status. States that have proactively used this system, including Missouri, Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, North Carolina, Idaho, Alabama, Louisiana, and Kansas, have identified both noncitizens and deceased individuals on their voter rolls, according to DHS.

While current law already prohibits noncitizens from registering to vote and participating in federal elections, enforcement has been limited. The Biden Administration's open border policies created serious vulnerabilities, and today, individuals registering to vote are largely relying on the honor system by simply checking a box on a federal registration form affirming they are U.S. citizens. The SAVE America Act would strengthen these protections by requiring documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.

With my support, the House has already passed the SAVE America Act because Americans deserve confidence that our elections are secure, accurate, and decided only by eligible voters. Existing safeguards are not enough. Current requirements under the Help America Vote Act rely on state databases, driver's licenses, and Social Security numbers, but these documents do not necessarily verify citizenship status.

The right to vote in our elections is a fundamental privilege reserved for American citizens, and we must take every necessary step to protect it. With President Trump's leadership and a Congress committed to election integrity, we have a critical opportunity to ensure Americans can trust the results they see on election night.

To read more about the SAVE America Act, click HERE.

I had an important week in Washington. The Chloe Cole Act advanced out of Judiciary Committee, and the Less Bureaucracy, Better Child Care for Student Parents Act advanced out of the Education and Workforce Committee.

Listen below to this week's episode of Dr. Bob RX to hear why both of these bill's matter.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA WRAP-UP

1. Missouri Broadcasters Meeting 
2.  the Less Bureaucracy, Better Child Care for Student Parents Act Passed Out of Committee 
3. The Missouri ALOT program was established to assist Missourians in developing critical communication and leadership skills within the agricultural community. 
4. Chloe Cole Advanced Out of Judiciary Committee