The bill amends Title IX legislation to exclude biological men from competing in women’s sports for organizations that receive federal funding.
WASHINGTON—The House passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act on Jan. 14, with a vote of 218 to 206. The legislation excludes males from participating in women’s sports sponsored by organizations that receive federal funding.
The text stipulates that “sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.”
“This is a great day for women in America,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said at a press conference following the bill’s passage.
The legislation, introduced by Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.), is also likely to pass in the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53 to 47 majority.
Proponents of the legislation pointed out male advantages in sports, such as increased muscle and lung capacity. They also spoke about the risk of injury in high-impact sports and about young women’s being forced to share locker room space with biological males.
“It’s dangerous, it’s unfair, it’s rejection of reality, and it is just plain wrong,” Johnson said.
Democrat opposition revolved around concerns that children might be physically inspected to determine their biological sex.
“There is nothing in the bill that talks about parental consent of those inspections … that will be abused, and that is overwhelmingly the position of House Democrats, and why we have strong reservations about the legislation,” Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) told reporters at a press conference before the vote.
This claim was repeated during a debate on the House floor, where Democrats refused to refer to the legislation by name, instead calling it “The GOP Child Predator Empowerment Act.”
Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) pointed out that there is no requirement for physical inspections in the legislation.
“They simply have to go to the birth certificate,“ he said. ”That will give the answer.”
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights condemned the legislation. In an open letter to Congress, it called for the “full inclusion, protection, and celebration of transgender, nonbinary, and intersex youth.”
