Protect Children’s Innocence Act
This bill makes it a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison for healthcare providers to perform gender-affirming surgeries or prescribe puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to minors under 18. It also reinforces federal criminal bans on performing, consenting to, or transporting a minor for female genital mutilation. Minors who receive these medical procedures are explicitly shielded from arrest or prosecution. The legislation includes exceptions for treating intersex conditions, precocious puberty, prior surgical complications, or serious physical illnesses, but it excludes mental health conditions as a justification.
What this bill touches.
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- Minors undergoing covered surgical or chemical proceduresExplicitly protected under Section 2(a) from being arrested or prosecuted for undergoing covered surgeries, chemical castration, or female genital mutilation.
Who it burdens
- Medical practitioners and healthcare providersFaces federal criminal fines, up to 10 years in prison, or both under Section 2(a) for performing gender-transition surgeries or female genital mutilation, or for prescribing, administering, or dispensing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to minors for gender transition.
- Individuals facilitating or transporting minors for female genital mutilationFaces federal criminal liability under Section 2(a) punishable by fines and up to 10 years in prison for knowingly facilitating, consenting to, or transporting a minor to undergo female genital mutilation.
- Defendants in female genital mutilation prosecutionsBarred under Section 2(a) from asserting religion, custom, tradition, ritual, or standard practice as a legal defense against federal criminal charges.
The provisions, in plain language.
Show all 6 provisions
Establishes a federal criminal penalty of fines, up to 10 years in prison, or both for performing or attempting to perform female genital mutilation or gender-transition surgeries on a minor.
Establishes a federal criminal penalty of fines, up to 10 years in prison, or both for administering, prescribing, or supplying puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones to a minor for gender transition.
Makes it a federal crime to knowingly facilitate, consent to, or transport a minor for the purpose of female genital mutilation.
Protects minors who undergo covered surgeries, procedures, or medication regimens from being arrested or prosecuted under these provisions.
Exempts medical procedures and medications provided to treat intersex traits, precocious puberty, physical injury, or imminent physical bodily impairment, while explicitly excluding mental or emotional distress from qualifying as a physical health exemption.
Bars defendants charged with female genital mutilation from using religion, custom, tradition, or ritual as a legal defense.
Establishes a federal criminal penalty of fines, up to 10 years in prison, or both for performing or attempting to perform female genital mutilation or gender-transition surgeries on a minor.
Establishes a federal criminal penalty of fines, up to 10 years in prison, or both for administering, prescribing, or supplying puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones to a minor for gender transition.
Makes it a federal crime to knowingly facilitate, consent to, or transport a minor for the purpose of female genital mutilation.
Protects minors who undergo covered surgeries, procedures, or medication regimens from being arrested or prosecuted under these provisions.
Exempts medical procedures and medications provided to treat intersex traits, precocious puberty, physical injury, or imminent physical bodily impairment, while explicitly excluding mental or emotional distress from qualifying as a physical health exemption.
How your members of Congress line up
How members voted on Protect Children’s Innocence Act.
Recorded roll calls on this bill, most recent first. Open one to see each member's position.
How it moved.
Show all 21 actions
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 216 - 211 (Roll no. 351). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H5992-5993)
- Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 216 - 211 (Roll no. 351).
- On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 210 - 218 (Roll no. 350).
- Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H6008-6009)
- POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 3492, the Chair put the question on motion to recommit and by voice vote announced the noes had prevailed. Ms. Balint demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
- The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
- Ms. Balint moved to recommit to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR H5999-6000)
- The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 3492.
- Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6703, H.R. 498 and H.R. 3492. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 6703 and H.R. 498 under a closed rule and H.R. 3492 under a structured rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each bill.
- Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 953. (consideration: CR H5992-6000)
- Rule H. Res. 953 passed House.
- Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 953 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6703, H.R. 498 and H.R. 3492. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 6703 and H.R. 498 under a closed rule and H.R. 3492 under a structured rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each bill.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 265.
- Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 119-311.
- Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 17 - 10.
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in House
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 216 - 211 (Roll no. 351). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H5992-5993)
- Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 216 - 211 (Roll no. 351).
- On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 210 - 218 (Roll no. 350).
- Rule H. Res. 953 passed House.
- Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 953 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6703, H.R. 498 and H.R. 3492. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 6703 and H.R. 498 under a closed rule and H.R. 3492 under a structured rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each bill.
- Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 119-311.
- Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 17 - 10.
- Introduced in House
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Sources & provenance
Cite this page
Civic Herald. “Protect Children’s Innocence Act (H.R. 3492, 119th Congress).” https://civicherald.app/bills/119-hr-3492. Congress.gov record as of Aug 10, 2026.