Protect Children’s Innocence Act

Summary

Protect Children’s Innocence Act of 2025 This bill establishes federal criminal offenses for providing gender-affirming care to minors. The bill also changes the existing federal criminal offense that prohibits female genital mutilation (FGM) and related conduct. Specifically, the bill makes it a federal crime to knowingly perform or attempt to perform procedures or provide medications (e.g., hormonal treatments) to a minor for the purpose of changing their body to correspond to a sex that differs from their biological sex. The bill provides exceptions for specified types of surgeries or procedures, including those for treating (1) individuals who have both ovarian and testicular tissue or abnormal sex chromosome structure or hormones, or (2) infections or other harms that result from a previous gender-transition procedure. A violation is punishable by a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both. The bill prohibits the arrest or prosecution of an individual who undergoes gender-affirming procedures or medications. Additionally, the bill makes changes to the existing federal criminal prohibition on performing FGM on a minor and related conduct. Among the changes, the bill broadens the scope of prohibited conduct to include the facilitation or consent to FGM by any person (currently, prohibited facilitation or consent applies only to a parent, guardian, or caretaker of the minor). The bill also prohibits the arrest or prosecution of an individual who undergoes FGM. The bill does not change the applicable criminal penalty of a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both.

Summary from the Congressional Research Service. How we handle summaries

Where it stands

Passed one of the two chambers; it still needs the other.

House Committee on the Judiciary · U.S. House of Representatives

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Cosponsors

Recorded votes

• Vote: On Passage

  U.S. HouseDec 17, 2025Result: Passed

  Voted yes (216)Voted no (211)Voted present (0)Absent (6)

  See member positions for the vote on Dec 17, 2025 (On Passage)

• Vote: On Motion to Recommit

  U.S. HouseDec 17, 2025Result: Failed

  Voted yes (210)Voted no (218)Voted present (0)Absent (5)

  See member positions for the vote on Dec 17, 2025 (On Motion to Recommit)

Related bills

• H.Res. 953Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 6703) to ensure access to affordable health insurance; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 498) to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to prohibit Federal Medicaid funding for gender transition procedures for minors; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3492) to amend section 116 of title 18, United States Code, with respect to genital and bodily mutilation and chemical castration of minors; and relating to consideration of the bill (H.R. 4776) to amend the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 to clarify ambiguous provisions and facilitate a more efficient, effective, and timely environmental review process.Related bill, procedurally related

As identified by Congress.gov.

Full history

1. Dec 18, 2025

   In committee

   Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

   U.S. House

2. Dec 18, 2025

   Sent to the executive

   Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

   U.S. Senate

3. Dec 17, 2025

   Debate - the House Proceeded With One Hour of Debate on H.R. 3492.

   DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 3492.

   U.S. House of Representatives

4. Dec 17, 2025

   Passed a chamber

   Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

5. Dec 17, 2025

   Passed a chamber

   Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Read the record

• Read on Congress.gov (opens in a new tab) The official record on Congress.gov.