Captioning sponsored by cbs this is the cbs evening news with scott pelley. Good evening. Scott is on assignment. Im josh elliot. History was made today when the Defense Department lifted one of the last bans on service in the armed forces. Transgender people will now be allowed to serve openly, and they will be eligible for any medically necessary care, including surgery. David martin is at the pentagon tonight. Reporter transgender people were the last Service Members who could be kicked out not for something but they had done but simply because of who they were. Defense secretary carter ended that today. Effective immediately Transgender Americans may serve openly, and they can no longer be discharged or otherwise separated from the military just for being transgender. Reporter estimates of the number of transgender people in the military range from a he of 4,000 to a high of 11,000 out of a total force of 2 million. Army reserve captain sage fox found her career put on hold after s
Tonight. Thank p . P . O . Gv attorney general, Loretta Lynch is coming under fire for an impromptu discussion with bill clinton as the Justice Department is handtling the classified information on hi Hillary Clintons private email server when she was secretary of state. No discussions were held on any cases or anything of that. Reporter the attorney generals insistence that the email investigation never came up, did not satisfy republicans who renewed their calls for a special counsel due to parent conflicts of interest. And speculated about what the former president might have said to lynch on her plane in phoenix monday. You know, this email thing, doesnt exist. Aint nothing there. Reporter lynch says mr. Clinton initiated the half hour visit when he discovered they were at the same airport. He came over to talk about my husband and myself and grandchildren and things like that. An aide said he was simply extending a courtesy. One that lynch should have turned down. How bad a judgme
Captioning sponsored by cbs this is the cbs evening news with scott pelley. Army reserve captain sage fox found her career put on hold after she changed genders, even though she says it made her a better officer. Transitioning has allowed me to be better as a leader. I have gotten rid of the distraction of worrying about concealing who i really was. Reporter fox had to rely on private insurance to cover her surgery, but from now on, the military will cover the cost of sex change operations approved by a doctor. Our doctors will treat them and give them medically necessary treatment according to the protocols. Reporter once the Service Member switches gender, they would also switch to the barrack, bathrooms and showers used by their new gender. The decision comes after a year study during which secretary carter personally met with transgender Service Members. They are deployed all over the world serving on aircraft, submarines, Forward Operating bases and right here in the pentagon. Rep
Bria well keep you updated as we find out more information. Reporting live in studio, bria bell abc 9 news. Jenna a sioux city man was arrested after leading police on a chase that ended in downtown yesterday morning when he crashed into the chesterfield. Authorities say 32 year old Jesse Brubaker of sioux city led police on a pursuit that began near 28th street and highway 75. While pursuing the suspects vehicle, iowa state patrol used a pit mauver to stop the car. The car spun out, hit a light pole and then the front of the business. Brubaker was tased before he was apprehended. No word yet on the damages sustained to the building. Jenna the names of the two women who jumped from a burning building to safety in sloan last week have been released according to the sheriffs office, 19 year old alanna gotto of sloan, was the first woman to jump to safety during the the second was 19 boggs of anthon. Women spent new years eve in the released new years day. Jenna recently re elected offici
And instead of waiting on congress to take action, abc news has confirmed he plans to do it on his own. That decision gaining cheers from supporters, and outrage from critics. Abcs Elizabeth Hur has more from new york. President Obama Meeting with attorney general Loretta Lynch at the white house. This on the eve of his big announcement. Bypassing congress to take action on what he calls an epidemic of gun violence in america. President obama although, we have to be very clear, this is not going to solve every crime in the country. Its not going to prevent every mass shooting. Its not going to keep every gun out of the hand of a criminal. It will potentially save live in this country. On tuesday. The president is expected to take executive actions that his administration believes will make it more difficult for the mentally ill. Criminals and terrorists to get guns. President obama said he is making sure. His measures will not violate the second amendment. To tighten background checks