Two House Democrats joined Republicans in passing a bill that would ban transgender female athletes from participating in girls’ school sports teams.
The Protecting Women and Girls in Sports Act, sponsored by Florida Republican Rep. Greg Steube, would amend federal law to require student-athletes to participate on the school sports team that matches their sex at birth. It is planned to stipulate that
Senate Republicans have already indicated they aim to take up the bill soon.
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Republicans are pushing to restrict transgender participation in sports, especially on women’s teams (Chip Somodevilla)
The change would apply to all K-12 schools that receive federal funding and colleges and universities that receive federal aid.
The remarks came as several Democrats argued that the far left leaves no room for opposition on issues such as transgender youth, and voiced opposition to their party’s emphasis on inclusiveness and progressivism. It happened after.
Notably, however, some Democrats who raised such issues, including Rep. Tom Suozzi (New York) and Rep. Seth Moulton (Massachusetts), voted against the bill. .
Republicans have supported the bill as a way to protect women and girls from unfair athletic standards.
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Florida Republican Rep. Greg Steube first introduced the bill in the 118th Congress (Mandel Gunn/AFP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) challenged Democrats on the bill during his weekly news conference Tuesday.
“Today everyone is talking about their children. I have two sons and two daughters, and I can tell the difference. Of course everyone does. And it’s a bit silly to deny that. “There is,” 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 heard that message.”
Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., said during the bill’s debate, “Why do we even have to discuss this? The idea of having XY-chromosome males competing and displacing women and girls is surprising to me. We should,” he said. In sports, it’s just amazing. ”
“Where in society are we doing this? Where are the feminists? Where are the people who fought so hard to get women’s rights?” LaMalfa asked.
Transgender bill barred from male participation in women’s sports in Republican-led Senate
But a majority of Democrats fiercely opposed the bill, including Rep. Sarah Jacobs, D-Calif., calling it the “Republican Child Predator Rights Enhancement Act.”
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Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Ore., said such cases are rare, but “this bill would allow any parent to raise concerns about a transgender girl playing on a girls’ team.” “This creates an unfair playing field.”
The bill previously passed the House on a 219-203 vote in 2023, but was never taken up in the previously Democratic-controlled Senate.
Elizabeth Elkind is a political reporter for FOX News Digital, where she leads coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines can be found on the Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow @liz_elkind on Twitter and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com.
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