Every birthday is a celebration of life. It reminds us that every child is born with inherent dignity, immeasurable worth, and a future full of possibility. On July 27, as Chloe Cole celebrated another birthday, Congress has a chance to ensure no child endures the irreversible harm that changed the course of her life.

Before we are ever faced with a decision, before we ever choose a path, we enter this world with a body that is uniquely ours. We are not mistakes to be corrected. We are not problems to be solved. Every child deserves the chance to grow, develop, and discover who they are without being subjected to irreversible medical interventions that can alter the course of their entire life.

Chloe’s birthday is more than a personal milestone. It represents an opportunity for Congress to protect America’s children from medicalized harm. Children deserve compassion and careful care, not permanent medical decisions they cannot fully understand and may regret later. Physicians are trained to exercise the greatest caution when evidence is limited, and risks are irreversible. As lawmakers, we have a responsibility to ensure our policies reflect that same restraint.

For far too long, vulnerable children struggling with questions about their identity were told that puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and irreversible medical interventions were the answer.

At just 12 years old, Chloe decided that she wanted to become a boy. Physicians gave her puberty blockers and testosterone at 13, and she underwent a double mastectomy at 15. But by the age of 16, she deeply regretted this decision and wished it had never been presented to her as an option. By speaking candidly about the harm she endured, Chloe has given a voice to countless children who were misled by a medical system that too often places woke ideology, politics, or profit above patient well-being. Her story, along with those of many others, makes clear that Congress can no longer afford to remain silent.

Before I was a Congressman, I was a doctor. Every day, I walked into my practice with the same objective: to care for every patient and understand the responsibility that comes with practicing medicine. The foundation of medicine must always be evidence, caution, and the principle of doing no harm, especially when treating children.

That is why I introduced the Chloe Cole Act.

The Chloe Cole Act places protections around minors by giving children and parents a path to hold medical professionals accountable when they have been harmed. Children deserve time to grow, and parents deserve honesty and transparency. This means medical professionals must be held to the highest standard when making decisions that affect a child’s future.

Over the last decade and a half, we have witnessed the rapid expansion of a medical industry built around transgender interventions for minors. Too many families have been told that these irreversible treatments are the only answer, while concerns about long-term impacts, accountability, and informed consent have been ignored. Parents who asked questions were frequently dismissed, and voices urging caution were sidelined.

Today, more young people, like Chloe, are courageously speaking out about the lifelong consequences of these barbaric interventions. Congress should not ignore them, either. The fact that we have to ask ourselves whether vulnerable children are being protected, or whether the industry is rushing children into life-altering treatments before they are capable of fully understanding their lifelong consequences, is insanity.

President Donald Trump’s January 2025 executive order, “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” called on lawmakers to pursue protections and accountability for children harmed by these practices. The Chloe Cole Act advances that mission by putting children and families first.

Chloe Cole is one of the bravest young women I have ever met. Earlier this year, I was honored to welcome her as my guest at the State of the Union address. Standing in the Capitol, Chloe represented thousands of families who believe children deserve protection, caution, and a medical system that puts their well-being above ideology or financial incentives. Chloe took a painful chapter of her life and turned it into a mission to protect others. She has shown extraordinary courage by sharing her story and advocating for children who do not yet have a voice.

The best birthday gift Congress can give Chloe is not an empty statement, but real action.

With the Chloe Cole Act advancing through the legislative process following the House Judiciary Committee markup, Congress has a historic opportunity to protect America’s children and ensure no family experiences the regret and pain Chloe has described. Every child is born with dignity, value, and purpose. Our responsibility is to protect that promise.

In honor of Chloe’s birthday, Congress should honor her courage by passing the Chloe Cole Act and putting the safety of America’s children first.

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Congressman Bob Onder is a physician and represents Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District.

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Courage In The Capitol: Congress Must Act For Chloe Cole And America’s Kids