House Once Again Passes Bill Protecting Women’s Sports
On Tuesday, the Republican-led House approved a bill designed to safeguard women’s sports by barring male athletes who identify as female from participating in those leagues.
Two Democrats—Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX)—joined 216 Republicans in backing the Protection of Women and Girls Act. Meanwhile, 206 Democrats opposed the legislation, with some expressing concerns that it could lead to “invasive consequences” and is championed by “bigoted folks.”
“Only 2 members on the Left voted to protect women’s sports,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) wrote on X in response to former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines, who praised the bill’s passage. “The Left really hates women don’t they?”
If signed into law, the bill would “amend the Education Amendments of 1972 to provide that for purposes of determining compliance with title IX of such Act in athletics, sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” It also specifies that federal aid recipients cannot permit individuals whose sex is male to compete in women’s or girls’ sports programs.
The legislation further includes a mandate for the comptroller general to study “the adverse psychological, developmental, participatory, and sociological results to girls of allowing males to compete, be members of a sports team, or participants in athletic programs, that are designed for girls.”
Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) reintroduced the Protection of Women and Girls Act this month, following its initial passage in the House in 2023, when it garnered no Democratic support and stalled in the then-Democrat-controlled Senate.
“The radical left is not in step with the American people on the issue of protecting women’s sports,” Steube remarked. “Americans have loudly spoken that they do not want men stealing sports records from women, entering their daughters’ locker rooms, replacing female athletes on teams, and taking their daughters’ scholarship opportunities.”
This time, the bill is more likely to advance, as Republicans hold majorities in both chambers of Congress and, starting next week, the White House as well. During a Fox News town hall in October, President-elect Donald Trump voiced his support for banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, as noted by the Daily Wire.
“My legislation stands for truth, safety, and reality: men have no place in women’s sports,” Steube said. “Republicans have promised to protect women’s sports, and under President Trump’s leadership, we will fulfill this promise.”
Interestingly, Democrats spent decades from the early 1970s onward advocating for “women’s rights” across American society, including pushing for the “equal rights amendment.” However, the party’s recent endorsement of biological men competing in women’s sports marks a stark shift further left, especially since the Obama administration. Notably, President Joe Biden’s sole Supreme Court nominee, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, declined to define what constitutes a woman during her confirmation hearing.
Last month, the Senate passed the $895 billion Defense Authorization Bill, despite objections from some Democrats over a provision concerning transgender care. This legislation is now awaiting President Biden’s approval.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed the Senate 85-14, clearing the required 60-vote threshold. The bill advanced despite including a provision that limits gender-affirming care for the children of service members, as reported by The Hill.
The typically bipartisan legislation faced resistance this time due to an amendment introduced by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), which restricts TRICARE funds—the health care program for military personnel—from covering gender-affirming treatments for dependents under 18. This change led several Democrats, including Sens. Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), and Ed Markey (Mass.), to vote against the measure.