St. Austin Catholic Church and School once the construction project was underway. / Credit: St. Austin Catholic Church and School

Seattle, Wash., Dec 11, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The Catholic Church in the United States is facing a real estate reckoning. Declining congregations, shifting demographics, and aging infrastructure have left thousands of Church properties underutilized or vacant. As dioceses merge and parishes close, leaders grapple with determining the future of these valuable yet costly assets.

The Church’s predicament is a delicate balancing act between financial pressures and mission objectives. Burdened by immense financial obligations — maintenance deficits often soaring into the millions — these properties are more than assets on a ledger. They are sacred spaces with spiritual significance, historical landmarks, and community pillars. These values transcend monetary measurement, yet decisions must be made.

“Many of these properties are dilapidated or just unused, and the overhead costs are immense,” said Michael Lyons, founder of [Y] Impact Ventures, an impact investment firm focusing on driving social good and financial return by boosting the value of housing through community building. “At the same time, the Church lacks funds from a ministry standpoint. There’s an arbitrage that needs to be addressed.”

Amid a national housing shortage and the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic, some dioceses are adopting creative approaches to repurpose Church properties, aligning financial obligations with their mission.

Austin’s blueprint for balancing mission and finances

Facing mounting costs to maintain aging facilities, St. Austin Catholic Parish in Austin, Texas, saw an opportunity in its prime location near the University of Texas. In 2020, the parish entered a 99-year ground lease for half of its acreage with developer Greystar.

“The income from that lease allowed us to rebuild our school,” said Trish Dolese, partner at Emmaus Projects LLC, who guided the parish. “We tore down everything except the church and now have brand-new school and ministry spaces.”

Dolese highlighted the challenges the Church faces in real estate decisions. 

“The Church always thinks long term,” she said. “This can make them reluctant to make quick decisions about investing in real estate assets, which often conflicts with development timelines.”

The $45 million project was primarily funded by lease income, covering 88% of the costs. The parish raised an additional $7 million to complete financing. Despite the development, St. Austin retains ownership of the land and will regain full control — including all improvements — when the lease concludes.

“They built a 29-story student housing tower with affordable units and included a gym for our school and parish,” Dolese explained. “Because it’s a school, we can take tax-exempt status.”

By leveraging their proximity to the university, the parish found a win-win solution. “We still own the property, and life continues to happen in this church,” Dolese said.

Lyons points to this project as a model. “Instead of having to fire-sale the property, they maintained control and bought themselves time and financial runway,” he said.

Mission-driven repurposing of Church properties

Many parishes prioritize mission-driven initiatives, using their properties to serve vulnerable populations.

In Philadelphia, the Sisters of St. Joseph transformed a former convent into a men’s transitional home for immigrants and refugees. Since 2017, the SSJ Newcomer Housing Alliance has provided shelter and support to over 50 men from various countries.

“Each of those has been a success story,” said Sister Eileen McNally, the refugee coordinator. Building on this success, they plan to renovate another convent to accommodate 12 families of newcomer women and children within the year.

Their efforts won the “To the Heights Award” at the Church Properties Conference at the University of Notre Dame. “The $15,000 prize money will probably go to repairs,” McNally added.

“It’s about more than just housing,” she said. “We’re offering a supportive environment where newcomers can adjust to life in the United States.”

Reviving sacred spaces for redemption

In Cincinnati, the Serenelli Project aims to build a supportive community for individuals transitioning out of incarceration. Named after Alessandro Serenelli — who experienced a profound conversion after murdering St. Maria Goretti — the initiative seeks to restore the unused Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church.

“We expect to close on the church and rectory by the end of 2025,” said Marty Arlinghaus, founder of the project. “We’re actively searching for a director of community life to kick-start the monastic brotherhood.”

“Our goal is to provide a place where men can live in a structured, faith-based environment,” Arlinghaus said. “It’s about healing, redemption, and giving individuals a second chance.”

Navigating challenges and charting a path forward

Despite innovative projects, many Church leaders struggle with managing real estate assets effectively. The complexities of property management, combined with the Church’s mission, present significant hurdles.

“There is a broad lack of appreciation for the financial realities of Church property,” said Maddy Johnson, program manager of the Church Properties Initiative at Notre Dame’s Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate. “Many of these properties are running seven-figure maintenance deficits.”

According to a 2020 Faith Communities Today report, two-thirds of churches in the U.S. have annual incomes of less than $100,000. “They face capital repairs that easily run into millions, plus ongoing costs to maintain these buildings,” Johnson said.

Administrators often have “dollar signs at the top of their minds” for good reason, she added. “A paradigm shift is required if these properties are to be reused within the life of the Church.”

Timing is another significant hurdle, as institutional processes can impede prompt decisions. “There are high bars bishops have to pass to divest property,” Dolese explained. “We have to balance our long-term vision with development timelines.”

Prolonged deficits pose additional challenges. “It’s crucial for dioceses to get ahead of these issues,” Lyons said. “Those who recognize issues early can pursue innovative solutions.”

Yet, Johnson sees a positive shift.

“We’re witnessing dioceses adopting creative, mission-aligned strategies,” she said. “Groups like the Loretto movement and the Sant’Egidio Community are laypeople united in ecclesial forms. This is a promising model for transferring responsibility when an asset can still be used within the Church.”

“There’s a lot of hope in this,” Lyons affirmed. “By finding creative solutions that align financial realities with the Church’s mission, we can help institutions adapt while staying true to their core values.”

Dolese believes reimagining Church properties is essential.

“The future use has more to say than our current use,” she said. “There’s value in preserving that legacy while adapting to new realities.”

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The "most beautiful gift" the Catholic Church and its members can give the world is a reason to live with hope, Pope Francis said.

"The Christian cannot be satisfied with having hope; he or she must also radiate hope, be a sower of hope," the pope said at his weekly general audience Dec. 11.

Speaking to thousands of visitors and pilgrims in the Vatican audience hall, the pope said he was concluding the series of audience talks that he began in May reflecting on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church. 

"The Holy Spirit is the ever-gushing source of Christian hope," the pope said, pointing to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans, which says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

"If the church is a boat," Pope Francis said, "the Holy Spirit is the sail that propels it and lets it advance on the sea of history, today as in the past!"

At the end of his audience, the pope also expressed his hopes for peace and harmony in Syria after the fall of President Bashar Assad.

Saying he was following the news about Syria "at this delicate moment in its history," Pope Francis prayed Syrians could establish a new government without further conflict.

"I pray through the intercession of the Virgin Mary that the Syrian people may live in peace and security in their beloved land," he said, "and that the different religions may walk together in friendship and mutual respect for the good of the nation, which has been afflicted by years of war." 

In his main talk, the pope brought together the Advent hope for the coming of the Lord and the theme of the upcoming Holy Year, which is "Pilgrims of hope."

For Christians, he said, "hope is not an empty word, or a vague desire of ours that things may turn out for the best; it is a certainty, because it is founded on God's fidelity to his promises. This is why it is called a theological virtue: because it is infused by God and has God as its guarantor."

Hope also is not "a passive virtue, which merely waits for things to happen," the pope said. Rather, "it is a supremely active virtue that helps make them happen."

Pope Francis cited an unnamed writer who explained that the Holy Spirit, bearer of hope, "is the strength given to those who have no strength. He leads the struggle for the emancipation and full realization of the people of the oppressed."

At the same time, the pope said, Christian hope should be shared "with gentleness and reverence," as the First Letter of Peter says, "because it is not so much the strength of the arguments that will convince people, but rather the love that we know how to put in them. This is the first and most effective form of evangelization."
 

Pope prays for Syria

During his general audience Dec. 11, Pope Francis prayed for Syria.

NEW YORK - Today, as part of ongoing and broader efforts to counter antisemitism across society, American Jewish Committee (AJC), in partnership with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, released Translate Hate: The Catholic Edition. This groundbreaking resource paves the way for deeper and wider cooperation in a shared commitment to eradicating antisemitism at a time when recent events have challenged Catholic-Jewish relations.

Translate Hate: The Catholic Edition features Catholic commentary on various entries of AJC’s renowned Translate Hate glossary of antisemitic terms, themes, and memes. It comes as Catholic and Jewish communities prepare to mark six decades of trust-building and mutual learning beginning when the Catholic Church reached out to the Jewish people and the world with Nostra Aetate, the historic Second Vatican Council document disseminated on October 28, 1965, which dramatically and publicly decried antisemitism and transformed the Church’s approach to the Jewish people for the better.

“For sixty years, dialogue has helped to establish lasting friendship among leaders in the Catholic and Jewish communities,” said Bishop Joseph C. Bambera of Scranton, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. “As we prepare to mark the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, it is more important than ever to renew our commitment to stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters against all forms of antisemitism. Sadly, we are currently witnessing a tragic rise in antisemitic incidents both globally and here in the United States, a painful reminder that our work is not done. This project is but one example of the fruits of our collaboration that we hope will have wide-ranging impact as Catholics and Jews continue building bridges and combat antisemitism together.”

Translate Hate: The Catholic Edition is the product of investment in Catholic and Jewish leadership dialogue. It is the latest, but not the last, installment in deepening and extending the infrastructure, educational tools, and reach of Catholic-Jewish relations. 

“This Catholic edition of Translate Hate is a groundbreaking project for Catholic-Jewish relations and could not come at a more needed time, as we are experiencing the most dramatic rise in antisemitism since the Holocaust, including notably in the United States,” said Rabbi Noam Marans, AJC Director of Interreligious Affairs. “USCCB’s allyship and leadership in confronting antisemitism as a threat not only to the Jewish people but also to civilized society more broadly is a key part of the national whole-of-society approach we need to combat anti-Jewish hate. We are proud to partner with USCCB and support its ‘The Fruit of Dialogue: Catholics Confronting Antisemitism’ initiative. The path inaugurated by Nostra Aetate must continuously be renewed and this USCCB partnership with AJC is a reaffirmation of that commitment.”

As with the original Translate Hate, the Catholic edition will be flexible and updated with more Catholic commentaries, even as the glossary list of antisemitic terms expands.

“Like the versions that came before it, we hope that Translate Hate: The Catholic Edition will help equip Catholics, Jews, and others with the tools needed to recognize antisemitism,” said Holly Huffnagle, AJC U.S. Director for Combating Antisemitism. “The first step in combating antisemitism is being able to understand and identify it. Translate Hate: The Catholic Edition presents this information in a way that can be used at all levels of Catholic and Jewish formal and informal education and empower our partners to stand up to anti-Jewish hate.”

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AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York, 25 regional offices across the United States, 15 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC’s mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. For more, please visit www.ajc.org.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is an assembly of the hierarchy of bishops who jointly exercise pastoral functions on behalf of the Christian faithful of the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The USCCB’s Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs works to build fruitful relationships with other religious faiths in the United States through fostering bonds of friendship, mutual understanding, and constructive collaboration. www.usccb.org

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Media Contact: 

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: Chieko Noguchi, media-relations@usccb.org, 202-541-3200

American Jewish Committee: Jennifer Bell, mediacomms@ajc.org, 202-836-0958

WASHINGTON – “With one clear voice, we reaffirm our unwavering and unqualified recognition of the fact that each and every human life is sacred, that all persons are imbued by God with an inviolable dignity, which no earthly power can deny.” The Catholic Church commemorates the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, on December 12. Besides this Marian feast day and devotion to the Blessed Mother carrying special significance for many immigrants in the United States, Our Lady of Guadalupe is also known as patroness of the unborn after appearing to Saint Juan Diego as a pregnant mother. Invoking her intercession, the following reflection was authored by several chairmen of committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB):

“Though we so often distinguish ourselves through borders, races, languages, political ideals, and so many other possible sources of division, Our Lady’s patronage is a powerful reminder that we are all called to be one in Christ Jesus, beginning from the moment of our conception. At this time, when some of our brothers and sisters are experiencing fear and anxiety, we are reminded of the abiding words of Our Lady to Saint Juan Diego: ‘Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain. Am I not here, I who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection?’

“Throughout the life of our nation, we have seen at times unacceptable demonstrations of prejudice and hatred, including in recent days mass communications targeting people of color and disparaging comments about immigrant communities. With one clear voice, we reaffirm our unwavering and unqualified recognition of the fact that each and every human life is sacred, that all persons are imbued by God with an inviolable dignity, which no earthly power can deny. The sinful ideologies of racism and xenophobia are antithetical to these core teachings of our Christian faith. No person formed by and committed to the Gospel of Life can harbor such views in good conscience. 

“We beseech you, Blessed Mother: May the same love you radiated in the presence of Saint Juan Diego nearly five hundred years ago penetrate the heart of every man, woman, and child in our nation, creating in each one of us a profound and unrelenting awareness of our shared humanity. Intercede for us with your Son, Jesus, whom you brought forth from your womb to shine as the Light of the World. Envelop us in the comfort of your mantle, bringing forth the peace, hope, and healing that is so desperately needed in our age.”

This reflection on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe was shared by Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration; Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities; Bishop Eusebio L. Elizondo, auxiliary bishop of Seattle and chairman of the Subcommittee on the Pastoral Care of  Migrants, Refugees, and Travelers; and Bishop Joseph N. Perry, auxiliary bishop emeritus of Chicago and chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism. 

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Former Sistine Chapel choir director Monsignor Massimo Palombella leads the choir during a performance on May 9, 2018, in New York City. / Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for AEG

CNA Staff, Dec 10, 2024 / 15:45 pm (CNA).

A pair of former Vatican officials has been found guilty of embezzlement and abuse of office as part of a long-running investigation into financial irregularities at a prominent choir there. 

Monsignor Massimo Palombella, who previously directed the Sistine Chapel Choir in Vatican City, and Michelangelo Nardella, who was the choir’s manager, were both found guilty in the Vatican City State Tribunal on various counts of embezzlement, laundering, and abuse stemming from their time leading the choir.

Nardella’s wife, Simona Rossi, was also convicted of embezzlement in connection with the scandal.

News of financial improprieties at the choir first broke in 2018 amid reports that Palombella and Nardella used choir concert proceeds for personal expenses. The Vatican launched an investigation that year.

Palombella resigned his position at the choir in July 2019. In January of that same year, Pope Francis issued a motu proprio that among other things moved the Sistine Chapel Choir under the administration of the Office of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations.

Palombella was sentenced to just over three years in prison as well as a fine of 9,000 euros (about $9,500); Nardella will spend four years and eight months in prison and pay 7,000 euros (about $7,400) in fines. Nardella was also served with “perpetual disqualification from holding public office.”

Rossi, meanwhile, will serve two years in prison and pay 5,000 euros (about $5,300) in fines, along with a similar disqualification from public office. 

All three defendants will further be subject to the confiscation of tens of thousands of euros as part of restitution for the embezzlement crimes, and all will be required to pay legal fees.

Known officially as the Cappella Musicale Pontificia Sistina, the Sistine Chapel Choir is composed of 20 professional singers from around the world as well as a treble section made up of 35 boys aged 9–13 called the Pueri Cantores.

With a 1,500-year history, the Sistine Chapel Choir is believed to be the oldest active choir in the world.

Pope Francis speaks to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Paul Pelosi after Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on June 29, 2022. / Vatican Media

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 10, 2024 / 15:15 pm (CNA).

Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi criticized Pope Francis for the Vatican’s deal with China regarding bishop appointments during an interview with the National Catholic Reporter published on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

The congresswoman from California and former speaker of the House of Representatives told the outlet that she is “not too happy” about the Vatican-China agreement, saying: “I don’t know what they have achieved” and adding: “Do you know of any success?”

“We have, for decades, seen the suffering of Catholics in China,” Pelosi, who is Catholic, told the Reporter. “I have a completely different view [from Francis]. … Why should the Chinese government be having a say in the appointment of bishops? I’ve talked to some folks here and they’re, ‘Well, we have to keep up with the times.’ What?! I don’t get that.”

In January 2018, Pope Francis and Chinese officials entered into a deal that gives the Chinese Communist Party input on bishop appointments. Most of the details of the deal and how it functions have not been made public, but the pontiff revealed in September 2023 that the agreement created a joint China-Vatican commission on the appointment of bishops.

The agreement has been renewed three times, most recently in October. The most recent renewal extends the deal into October 2028. Despite the appearance of friendlier relations on the surface, a report published in October by the Hudson Institute found that the “religious repression of the Catholic Church in China has intensified” since the deal went into effect. In November 2022, the Vatican accused China of violating the terms of the deal. 

In her interview with the Reporter, Pelosi referenced the Gospel of Matthew in her critique of the Vatican-China agreement. 

“Let me say it this way: ‘Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church,’” Pelosi said. “Every bishop has sprung from that rock. And now, the Chinese government?”

The congresswoman said she had spoken to the papal nuncio about “what our concerns were,” and commented that those concerns were bipartisan: “This brings a lot of us together because, over time, even bishops were being killed. I mean, this is like martyrs.”

Pelosi also showed solidarity with Cardinal Joseph Zen, the bishop emeritus of Hong Kong and staunch critic of the Chinese Communist Party and Vatican-China deal. In 2022, Hong Kong police arrested the cardinal for his role in assisting pro-democracy protesters for their legal fees, but he was later released on bail.

“With all the respect in the world for His Holiness, Pope Francis, my point of view is closer to the cardinal of Hong Kong, Joseph Zen,” Pelosi told the Reporter.

In 2020, Zen told CNA that he had not seen any positive changes for the Church following the deal with China. 

“Is there any choice between helping the government to destroy the Church or resisting the government to keep our faith?” Zen said.

According to a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom in October, China has continued its persecution of Catholics and other religious faiths through its policy of the “sinicization of religion,” which means to make the religion conform to Chinese culture.

The report noted that, in practice, the policy essentially subordinates faiths to “the [Chinese Communist Party’s] political agenda and Marxist vision for religion.” This includes censorship of religious texts, forcing clergy to preach the party’s ideology, and requiring the display of Chinese Communist Party slogans in the churches.

In her interview with the Reporter, Pelosi also spoke about a wide variety of other issues, which included the decline of Catholic support for the Democratic Party in the 2024 elections and her feuds with Catholic bishops over her adamant support of abortion.

Although her bishop, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, prohibited her from receiving Communion within the archdiocese because of her support for abortion, Pelosi told the Reporter that she “received Communion anyway” and said: “That’s his problem; not mine.” 

“My Catholic faith is: Christ is my savior,” Pelosi said. “It has nothing to do with the bishops.”

Pelosi won her reelection by a more than 60-point margin in the heavily Democratic 11th Congressional District in California. The congresswoman, who turns 85 in March 2025, resigned from her leadership position within the Democratic Party in 2016 and was replaced by Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who currently serves as the House minority leader.

The flag of the European Union flying in Rome. / Credit: Bohumil Petrik/CNA

Madrid, Spain, Dec 10, 2024 / 13:30 pm (CNA).

“The time is mature for the appointment of an EU coordinator on combating anti-Christian hatred in Europe,” said Alessandro Calcagno, an adviser to bishops.

Ålesund, a port town on the west coast of Norway. / Credit: May_Lana/Shutterstock

Oslo, Norway, Dec 10, 2024 / 13:00 pm (CNA).

On Monday, Our Lady’s Church in Ålesund, western Norway, gathered for a day of prayer dedicated to the unborn in the wake of new abortion laws in the country.

John Traynor is believed to be the first British Catholic to be cured at Lourdes. / Credit: Courtesy of Hospitality of Our Lady of Lourdes

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 10, 2024 / 09:30 am (CNA).

Archbishop Malcolm McMahon of Liverpool, England, declared the miraculous healing of John Traynor, a soldier of the British Royal Navy, on Dec. 8. 

An aerial view of the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., May 11, 2021. / Credit: Air Force Staff Sgt. Brittany A. Chase, DOD, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 10, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill are threatening to oppose the U.S. government’s defense spending bill for the next fiscal year over its inclusion of language that would prevent the Department of Defense (DOD) from providing health care coverage that funds transgender drugs and surgeries for minors. 

Although the current draft was the product of negotiations between Republican and Democratic lawmakers, some Democrats have considered abandoning the final version amid its inclusion of banning gender transitions for children.

“The final text includes a provision prohibiting medical treatment for military dependents under the age of 18 who are diagnosed with gender dysphoria,” Democratic Rep. Adam Smith, who serves as the ranking member for the House Armed Services Committee, said in a statement.

“Blanketly denying health care to people who clearly need it, just because of a biased notion against transgender people, is wrong,” Smith continued. “This provision injected a level of partisanship not traditionally seen in defense bills. Speaker [Mike] Johnson is pandering to the most extreme elements of his party to ensure that he retains his speakership. In doing so, he has upended what had been a bipartisan process.”

Republican lawmakers included the language in the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2025, which was unveiled this past weekend. The primary function of the NDAA is to fund the nation’s military. 

Republican lawmakers sought to include similar language related to gender transitions in last year’s NDAA but eventually abandoned the effort when they failed to get enough support in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Under the proposal, taxpayer-funded health care programs provided by the DOD for members of the military and their families would prevent any coverage of transgender drugs and surgeries for anyone under the age of 18. It would not affect these services for adults.

Currently, the DOD offers coverage for transgender drugs for all ages, which includes puberty blockers and hormones through its TRICARE program, which serves about 9.5 million service members, military retirees, and dependents. TRICARE does not currently provide coverage for transgender surgeries.

According to a study published by the American Public Health Association in 2023, at least 25,000 children sought treatment for gender dysphoria through TRICARE in 2017 — and about 900 received transgender drugs such as puberty blockers or hormones. It’s unclear whether those numbers have increased in recent years.

A Republican effort to end the DOD’s policy to fund travel for military members and their families to obtain abortions was ultimately removed from the NDAA proposal.

In a statement, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said lawmakers “remain determined to confront increasingly hostile threats from communist China, Russia, and Iran, and this legislation provides our military with the tools they need to deter our enemies.”

“This legislation includes House-passed provisions to restore our focus on military lethality and to end the radical woke ideology being imposed on our military by permanently banning transgender medical treatment for minors and countering antisemitism,” he added.

Smith’s objection to the NDAA proposal comes as activist groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) are urging Democrats to vote against the legislation. 

“Medical care should stay between families and their doctors but this provision would baselessly and recklessly inject politics into the health care military families receive,” Mike Zamore, the ACLU national director of policy and government affairs, said in a statement. 

“Nobody should have to choose between serving the country and ensuring their child has the health care they need to live and thrive,” he added. “Members of Congress must vote against the defense bill because of the inclusion of this deeply harmful, unconstitutional provision.”

The ACLU is currently representing Tennessee families who are challenging a state law that prohibits doctors from providing children with transgender drugs and surgeries. The United States Supreme Court heard the case’s arguments on Dec. 4.

Transgender issues dividing Congress

Most Democratic lawmakers openly support gender transitions for minors. However, following the 2024 election, the two House Democrats — Rep. Seth Moulton and Rep. Tom Suozzi — have accused their party of going too far to the left on issues related to transgenderism, particularly when it comes to biological boys who identify as girls playing in girls’ sports.

Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Roger Marshall is introducing a bill to prohibit surgical gender transitions of minors nationwide. The legislation is called the Safeguarding the Overall Protection (STOP) of Minors Act.

In a statement posted on X, Marshall, an OB-GYN physician by profession, said that most Americans “want a complete ban on any performance of mutilation, sterilization, and castration procedures on children,” which is what prompted him to introduce the bill. 

As of December, transgender drugs and surgeries for children are prohibited in 24 states and another two states ban only the surgeries. Gender transitions for minors remain legal in the remaining 24 states and several have enacted laws that explicitly protect access to those drugs and surgeries.

President-elect Donald Trump has said he supports a federal law banning the surgical gender transitions of minors. Some scholars have argued that the incoming Trump administration could use regulatory authority to restrict the gender transitions of minors nationally.