Washington – The House passed a Republican measure Tuesday that would ban transgender girls and women from competing on school sports teams that match their gender identity after the party vacillated on the issue during the 2024 campaign.
BillKnown as the “Protecting Women and Girls in Sports Act”, it would amend Title IX, the federal law banning sex discrimination in schools, to allow a person's “sex” to be determined “solely of a person's reproductive potential.” Be recognized as “based on biology and genetics at birth.” Schools that “allow a person of the male gender to participate in an athletic program or activity designated for women or girls” risk losing federal funding.
It was passed in the House with 218 votes in favor, 206 votes against and one vote present. Two Texas Democrats – Representatives Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez – joined all Republicans in supporting the bill. Democratic Representative Don Davis of North Carolina was present and voted.
“The overwhelming majority of Americans believe that men do not belong in women's sports and we should let common sense prevail,” Republican Representative Greg Steube of Florida, who introduced the bill, said during floor debate before the vote.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 3% of high school students identify as transgender. voting in recent years A lack of support has been found for transgender athletes participating on sports teams that match their gender identity and its half the state Limit participation of transgender athletes.
House Republicans passed the bill in 2023 without any Democratic support. The Senate, then controlled by Democrats, did not consider it. House Republicans vowed to prioritize the issue again this year after GOP campaigns spent millions of dollars on ads last year highlighting the threat the issue poses to girls and women in sports. A similar measure has been re-introduced in the Republican-controlled Senate.
During floor debate, Republicans argued that these athletes have biological advantages that are unfair and unsafe for other girls and women. Democrats who opposed the measure said it opens the door to intrusive genital examinations of girls.
Democratic Representative Susan Bonamici of Oregon said, “We are already seeing examples of harassment and interrogation of girls who do not conform to stereotypical female roles.”
But there are many moderate Democrats who have expressed some concern over the issue, especially after the Democrats' defeat in the 2024 election. One of those Democrats is Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who voted against the ban when it came up for a vote in 2023, but that has not happened since. Questioned his party's message On transgender rights.
Moulton said, “Democrats spend too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being completely honest about the challenges facing many Americans.” told the new York Times. “I have two little girls, I don't want them to be trampled on the playground by a man or a former male athlete, but as a Democrat I'm afraid to say that.”
Moulton voted against the measure that passed Tuesday.