Herring joins attorneys general seeking military transgender protections

HONOLULU  Sailors from various commands march on Kalakaua Ave. during the Aloha to the Military Ohana celebration and parade. The event was organized to honor active duty military, reservists, wounded warriors, military retirees and veterans of other campaigns and was hosted by the United Service Organization Hawaii, BAE Systems, TriWest Health Care Alliance and the City and County of Honolulu. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark Logico/Released)

HONOLULU — Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring is one of 19 attorneys general nationwide joining Hawaii Attorney Douglas Chin in asking Congress to pass legislation prohibiting discrimination against transgender service members.

Attorney General Chin sent the letter on Thursday, asking the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Armed Services committees to include transgender protections in the National Defense Authorization Act. 18 other attorneys general also signed the document.

The letter says President Donald Trump’s policy banning transgender service members from the military “violates fundamental constitutional and American values.”

Attorneys general from the following signed the Chin’s letter: California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.