A federal judge in Oregon has ruled that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. overstepped his authority by declaring that gender-affirming care for minors was neither safe nor effective and did not meet "professional recognized standards of health care". The ruling was in favor of 21 Democrat-led states who challenged Kennedy's attempt to create a national standard against such care. The declaration had cast doubt on the standards of care supported by major medical organizations like the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychiatric Association. The judge ruled that the Department of Health and Human Services violated their rights to regulate medical practices. The Human Rights Campaign argued that politicians should not be able to tell doctors what decisions are best for their children.