House Democrats plan to unveil legislation Wednesday protecting the ability of transgender people to serve openly in the military as President Trump’s administration works to remove them.

The “Fit to Serve Act” would prohibit the Defense Department from disqualifying transgender people from service or involuntarily separating members over a current diagnosis, history or symptoms of gender dysphoria, and bar the armed forces from requiring troops to serve only according to their birth sex. It also would forbid the military from denying “medically necessary health care coverage” to service members because of their gender identity, according to a copy of the legislation obtained by The Hill.

The proposal echoes a separate House bill to prevent the military from hiring or firing someone because of their gender identity that more than 40 House Democrats filed in January ahead of Trump’s inauguration. It also comes as House GOP members move to permanently ban transgender people from serving.

Rep. Adam Smith (Wash.), the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, intends to file the measure Wednesday morning with Democratic Reps. Mark Takano (Calif.), Chrissy Houlahan (Penn.), Sara Jacobs (Calif.) and Eric Sorensen........

© The Hill