Two House Dems join GOP to ban biological males from girls' school sports
Two House Democrats have voted alongside Republican lawmakers to ban athletes born male from participating on girls' school sports teams.
The Protection of Women and Girls In Sports Act, led by Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., would amend federal law to specify that student athletes must participate in school sports teams that coincide with their gender at birth.
Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, and Vicente Gonzales, D-Texas, were the lone Democrats to vote for the bill when it passed 218 to 206. Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., voted "present."
All three won re-election on razor-thin margins in districts that have trended redder over the years.
Senate Republicans have already signaled they are aiming to take up the bill soon.
The change would apply to all federally funded schools from kindergarten through high school, as well as colleges and universities that receive federal dollars.
It comes after several Democrats spoke out against their own party's laser focus on inclusivity and progressivism, arguing that the far-left did not leave any room for dissent on issues like transgender youth.
Notably, however, some Democrats who raised such issues – like Reps. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., and Seth Moulton, D-Mass. – voted against the bill.
Republicans have championed the bill as a bid to protect women and girls from unfair athletic standards.
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Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., challenged Democrats on the bill during his weekly press conference on Tuesday.
"Everyone's talking about their children today. I've got two sons and two daughters, and we see the difference. Of course everyone does. And it's kind of silly to deny it," Johnson said. "The American people sent a clear message in November. They want us to return to common sense, and we're going to see if Democrats have heard that message."
Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., said during debate on the bill, "Why are we even having to discuss this? It's amazing to me that the idea that we would have XY chromosome males competing and taking the place of women and girls in sports is just mind-blowing."
"Where are we in society that we're doing this? Where are the feminists? Where are the people who fought so hard to get rights for women?" LaMalfa asked.
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But the majority of Democrats were vehemently opposed to the bill, with Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., and others dubbing it "The GOP Child Predator Empowerment Act."
Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Ore., argued, "This bill sets an unfair playing field that any parent can raise a concern that a transgender girl is playing on a girls' team," while noting such cases were rare.
"These decisions should be left to parents, coaches, teachers, and families – not D.C. politicians. In addition, this bill could open the door to young girls experiencing intrusive questioning, or worse. I will not rubber stamp bad policy. Republicans should stop focusing on culture wars and start getting to work on lowering costs, investing in public education, and increasing access to affordable health care," freshman Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., said after the bill passed.
The bill previously passed the House in 2023 in a 219 to 203 vote, but it was never taken up in the formerly Democratic-controlled Senate.