Quincy Reporter

Mary Miller, the representative for Illinois' 15th Congressional District, has expressed support for the Supreme Court's decision to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. She described such procedures as "abuse that ruins lives."

"Permanently mutilating kids isn't “dignity,” and pumping minors with hormone drugs isn't healthcare, Governor—it's abuse, and it ruins lives," said Mary E. Miller, U.S. Representative of Illinois's 15th congressional district (R). "The Supreme Court made the right decision today, and Congress is stepping up to defund this horrific practice once and for all."

Miller's comments were in response to a post by Governor J.B. Pritzker on social media platform X, where he reacted to the Supreme Court’s ruling. Pritzker emphasized Illinois' commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of the LGBTQ+ community, stating, "Illinois has enshrined protections to meet this very moment. In a time of increasing overreach and hateful rhetoric, it's more important than ever to reaffirm our commitment to the rights and dignity of the LGBTQ+ community. You have a home here always."

Screenshot of U.S. Rep. Mary MIller's June 18 post on X | X

The Supreme Court's decision was delivered in a 6-3 vote, with Chief Justice John Roberts asserting that Tennessee’s ban on puberty blockers and hormones for transgender children does not violate the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, expressing concern that the court was retreating from meaningful judicial review and neglecting transgender children and their families.

In 2023, Governor Pritzker signed into law the Patient and Provider Protection Act. This legislation ensures insurer coverage for gender-affirming care, protects doctors from civil and criminal discovery in other states when providing reproductive health care, and enhances protections for families using IVF or surrogacy. Attorney General Kwame Raoul said at the time: "The fight for access to reproductive and gender-affirming care does not end here. We must continue our work to ensure Illinois remains a health care oasis for anyone seeking care. In Illinois, we support a woman's right to choose, we support transgender youth and their families, and we support the medical professionals who perform these essential services every day."

Miller has been serving in Congress since replacing John Shimkus in 2021. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Eastern Illinois University.

Born in Oak Park, Illinois in 1959, Miller currently resides in Oakland with her family. She is married with seven children and twenty grandchildren and manages a fourth-generation family farm alongside her husband.