[Pages H1858-H1871]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN SPORTS ACT OF 2023

general leave

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H.R. 734.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Comer). Is there objection to the
request of the gentlewoman from North Carolina?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 298 and rule
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House
on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 734.
The Chair appoints the gentleman from Florida (Mr. C. Scott Franklin)
to preside over the Committee of the Whole.

{time} 1303

In the Committee of the Whole

Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the
Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill
(H.R. 734) to 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, with Mr. C. Scott Franklin
of Florida in the chair.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The CHAIR. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the
first time.
General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed 1
hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority
member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce or their
respective designees.
The gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) and the gentleman from
California (Mr. Takano) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from North Carolina.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 734, the Protection of
Women and Girls in Sports Act.
The Democrats have gone to great lengths to call this bill extreme.
The Democrats have gone to great lengths, being almost hysterical, to
call this bill discriminatory. It is neither of those things.
It is a one-page bill, which is rare in Congress, that strengthens
existing protections for women, ensures a level playing field for
female athletes, and protects women and girls from the Biden
administration's radical regulatory scheme.
It is quite telling when the other party attempts to tear things down
without offering an alternative vision. Democrats refuse to posit a
reason for allowing biological men to compete in women's sports that
comports with principles of athletic competition like fairness and
integrity.
Democrats also refuse to address the implications of their position.
If men can compete in women's sports, should they be able to take
roster spots from women, to rob women of hard-earned achievements?
Instead, they appeal to emotion and call the other side bigots. It is
such a tiring act, Mr. Chair.
How about providing evidence that self-identification is rooted in
biological truth? Explain that a post-adolescent male athlete has zero
physical advantages over women.
Democrats like to pretend they are the party of science. Where is the
data?
The Democrat vote against this bill, including Biden's threat to veto
it, is a vote against continuing to give women and girls equal
opportunity to participate and compete in athletics.
We on the Republican side are grounded. We live in reality. So does
the rest of America. Ask working-class Americans if Muhammad Ali should
have been allowed to box women in his heyday or if Usain Bolt should
have run the women's 100 meters.
It is not about callousness or lack of emotion. This is about
grounding a leftist ideology that has lost its collective mind back in
reality. In fact, Republicans are teeming with admiration and support
for the women and girls who have come so far to get much-deserved
recognition for their athletic achievements.
The left wants to talk about erasure. Let's talk about how American
female athletes are being erased. We are not sensationalizing this
problem. It exists. Females are being hurt by it, and action must be
taken to stop that.
Mr. Chair, I hope this debate and the eventual passage of H.R. 734
help bring sanity to women's sports, and I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, I speak in opposition to H.R. 734, the politics over
participation act.
We can all agree on the need to address the challenges facing our
education system, issues like gun violence, academic achievement gaps,
and the lack of mental health support for our students. These are
serious challenges that demand serious action.
Unfortunately, my Republican colleagues have used their first 100
days in the majority to pursue a radical education agenda that
prioritizes political points over students' safety and success.
Today, we are considering another piece of this extreme agenda, one
that again targets transgender kids.
School sports activities offer fundamental life lessons--such as
leadership, self-confidence, and teamwork--that every child should be
able to enjoy. As Members of Congress, our responsibility is to ensure
that student athletics are, above all, fair and safe.
H.R. 734 does the exact opposite. It makes school sports less fair by
singling out and banning transgender women and girls as young as
kindergarten from participating on school sports teams with their
friends. We know transgender students already face widespread bullying
and discrimination. Adding to their pain by targeting their
participation in school sports is both wrong and dangerous.
Furthermore, contrary to my Republican colleagues' claims, H.R. 734
actually makes school sports less safe for women and girls. To enforce
its ban on transgender student athletes, the bill would require all
girls as young as their preteens to ``prove their gender.''
For example, under Utah's blanket ban on transgender student
participation in school sports, parents of the second- and third-place
finishers in a State-level girls' competition complained to the Utah
High School Activities Association that they suspected the winner of
the event was trans. Following the complaint, the school was forced to
investigate the student by combing through her records going back to
kindergarten. She was, in fact, not transgender.
The association has received other complaints about supposed trans
competitors, sometimes with the reasoning being simply that a girl
doesn't look feminine enough.
Simply put, H.R. 734 does not protect women and girls. It only makes
school sports less safe and less fair.
There are schools, States, and sports associations that have been
allowing transgender people to play equitably and consistent with their
gender identity with no issues for decades.
This bill doesn't address the most elite level of athletes. Yet, even
at the most elite level, organizations like the International Olympic
Committee have frameworks for transgender inclusion in sports. They
reject the type of categorical blanket ban Republicans are pushing for
kids as young as kindergartners in schools.
Congress has no business targeting transgender women and girls and
imposing a nationwide ban on their participation in school sports. We
need to refocus on our job in Congress to address the most pressing
issues facing students and parents and ensure that every child in
America can reach their full potential.
Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 734, and I reserve
the balance of my time.

[[Page H1859]]

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Steube), the sponsor of the bill.
Mr. STEUBE. Mr. Chairman, Genesis 1:27: ``So God created mankind in
His own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female He
created them.''
Genesis 5:1-2: ``When God created mankind, He made them in the
likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them.''
Jesus stated in Mark 10:6: ``But at the beginning of creation, God
made them male and female.''
Also in Matthew 19:4: ``At the beginning, the creator made them male
and female.''
For thousands of years in human history, we have recognized as a
species that there are women and there are men, who are obviously
biologically different, dare I say even scientifically different. Even
science agrees with this premise.
Yet, over the last several years, there has been a perversion in our
culture by the enemy, and the left has completely embraced the lie to
erase the lines of gender and to convince you there isn't really gender
and that gender is fluid and can be whatever you want, whenever you
want--again, more lies.
The left has taken gender identity so far that many on the left today
cannot even define what a woman is for fear of retribution by trans
activists. Even the latest Supreme Court Justice appointed by President
Biden could not define what a woman is during questioning, and she now
sits on the highest court in the land.
The radical left has adopted completely made-up terms that didn't
even exist just a few short years ago, like nonbinary, cisgender, trans
male, trans female. You can even find that there are 74 made-up
genders, 74 that you can choose from, everything from agender to
omnigender. There is even an astral gender, which is having a gender
identity that feels to be related to space. I don't even know what that
means.
Just a few short years ago, even Democrats would say that this is
ridiculous, but today, it is common speak for the radical left. If you
question these fictitious terms, they label you transphobic--again,
another leftist idiom.
I have three dictionaries in my house. One was copyrighted in 1828;
one was copyrighted in 1959; and one was copyrighted in 1988.
Shockingly, nowhere in any of these dictionaries are the terms
``nonbinary'' or ``trans man'' or ``trans woman.'' Even if you look on
Webster today, just Google Webster, it says that ``trans man'' and
``trans female'' are terms that were first used in 1996. During the
entire history of mankind, you were either male or female until the
last few years.
In worship to the trans movement, the Biden administration has moved
at warp speed to infiltrate every aspect of the Federal Government with
trans speak.

{time} 1315

Most recently, just a couple weeks ago, I am assuming in response to
this bill moving to a vote, the Biden administration was looking to
insert rules on Title IX to force biological men into women's sports in
complete defiance of the laws this body passed over 50 years ago.
Congress in 1972 created Title IX to protect women's sports to enable
women to have an equal playing field in athletics. In worship to their
trans idols, the administration wants to flip that on its head. It is
insane.
Title IX was created for women's sports, and now the left wants to
kill it. In them giving homage to the trans movement, they are
abandoning women all across the country.
Parents do not want biological men in locker rooms with their
daughters, nor do they believe it is equitable that a male can compete
with women in female athletics. It is the whole purpose that Title IX
was created to begin with.
The radical left wants you to believe that this never happens, and
there are only a few instances of this happening. However, the facts
bear this statement as false.
There is an entire website that documents examples of females who are
displaced by males in women's sporting events. It includes the place
``she would have won'' had the male not been competing.
There are hundreds of examples documented on SheWon.org and Concerned
Women has a spreadsheet with, again, hundreds of examples where women
faced men in competition.
In my own district in Sarasota, Florida, my constituent, Emma Weyant,
an incredibly talented swimmer and Olympic medalist, lost the 2022 NCAA
women's swimming championships title for the 500 freestyle by 1.75
seconds to a man who formerly competed for years on the men's swimming
team, who took home that title after identifying as a woman.
It is a sad day in America when the Democrats have regressed so far
backward that they are willing to erase the rights that women have
fought decades to obtain, all to elevate biological males to the top of
women's podiums.
The integrity of women's sports must be protected. H.R. 734 preserves
women's sports and ensures fair competition for generations of women to
come, just as Title IX originally intended.
If my liberal colleagues truly believe in supporting women's rights,
as they so often tout, they will vote in favor of this bill.
I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stand for
women's free and fair opportunity in athletics and to stand for truth,
not lies.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
California, (Ms. Pelosi), Speaker Emerita.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I
thank him for his leadership for fairness and safety in our schools and
for justice in our communities.
I stand here today in opposition to the legislation that is on the
floor. In listening carefully to the maker of the motion, he references
a religious context in his comments, and so will I, then, following his
lead.
Yes, we are all God's children. We all have a spark of divinity in
us, and therefore, are worthy of respect. That spark of divinity that
is within us insists that we respect it in others, as well.
So recognizing that we are all God's children, I rise in opposition
to this legislation because trans kids are all God's children; belong
in sports, in schools, in books, in families, and on teams.
It is really important for us as leaders in our country to speak with
respect for all of the people in our country.
Trans kids listen and hear what we say, and we do not want to do them
harm for whatever purpose on the floor of this House.
The gentleman also referenced Title IX. While none of us were
probably here when Patsy Mink very courageously passed Title IX, many
of us were here as we reauthorized it over time and fought off, fought
off initiatives to weaken it to say that in supporting women in sports
was taking away from men in sports. That is simply not the case.
I will say that this bill is an insult to the legacy of fairness and
inclusion that Patsy Mink intended, and was passed by the House and the
Congress in Title IX; Senator Birch Bayh, the Senator from Indiana.
So I say let every child, regardless of gender identity, deserve a
chance to be part of a team, to learn lessons of sportsmanship, to push
themselves to reach their fullest potential and vote ``no'' against
this legislation.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah
(Mr. Owens), chairman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and
Workforce Development.
Mr. OWENS. Mr. Chair, when Title IX became law in 1972, it was a
watershed moment for every woman in America.
Title IX was a game changer for women and girls in sports to showcase
their talents on the field without discrimination or prejudice.
I watched with pride as my five daughters competed during their high
school days. I feel the same pride as I watch my 12 granddaughters
learn, grow, and thrive as they compete and work to gain respect from
their teammates through hard work and meritocracy.
Unfortunately, these life-changing opportunities afforded to
generations of women and girls are under assault today.
We cannot sit back and watch biological males rob biological women of

[[Page H1860]]

equal athletic opportunities. We need to stop putting feelings of boys
and men above fairness and opportunity for girls and women.
With this upside-down world of feelings over fairness, we are also
stealing from our young men a major component of their self-esteem, the
inborn and innate desire to respect and protect womanhood.

This is why I am proud to support the Protection of Women and Girls
in Sports Act of 2023 to make sure women's sports are safe and fair.
Allowing biological men to compete in women's sports erodes the
progress women and girls have made in athletics and undermines our
cherished American values of meritocracy, hard work, and equality.
I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this commonsense bill and
preserve the rights of all women to achieve their American Dream.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this bill,
a bill that puts politics over participation. I am deeply concerned
about the increase in and apparent normalization of attacks against
trans students.
Contrary to what my Republican colleagues say, this legislation will
diminish civil rights, discriminate against students, and dismantle
relationships of trust between students and their coaches and
educators.
Trans rights are human rights. Denying trans students the opportunity
to play on sports teams that are consistent with their gender identity
sends a clear message to those students that they don't matter.
If my Republican colleagues are interested in protecting women and
girls, I have a long list of priorities that I am eager to work on.
Let's pass commonsense gun violence prevention legislation. Let's
pass legislation protecting reproductive freedom. Let's pass paid
family leave and medical leave and close the gender pay gap.
We should be working together to create opportunities for every
student to thrive with a focus on those who are most vulnerable,
especially trans youth.
I want every trans student out there to know I see you, and I will
never stop fighting for you. I urge my colleagues to show some
humanity, stop attacking trans people, and vote ``no'' on this bill.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Bean), chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood,
Elementary, and Secondary Education.
Mr. BEAN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I thank Chair Foxx for yielding
time.
Mr. Chairman, should the Jacksonville Jaguars play against a peewee
football team? That would be ridiculous.
Should the minor league Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp play against a
Little League team? That would be crazy. Should men compete against
women in sports? Of course not. In each example, it is just not fair.
The truth is, males have a lasting and lifelong athletic advantage--
most notably, 36 percent more muscle mass, which allows for greater
speed and force that cannot be erased with pharmaceuticals or hormone
treatments.
Sadly, every time a male takes a lane in the pool, a spot on the
field, or at the starting line, a female athlete loses the opportunity
to compete.
Every time a male athlete is named a female All-American, a female
athlete loses that honor. We are in a battle for the very survival of
women's sports.
America, we hear you. Not everybody has gone off the deep end. Today,
House Republicans will pass H.R. 734, the Protection of Women and Girls
in Sports Act, to ban men from competing in women's sports.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman
from Washington (Ms. Jayapal).
Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Chairman, I rise in deep opposition to this bill. We
should rename it the cancel kids trans hate bill. This bill fuels a
virulent hate campaign against kids who just want to play with their
friends.
Don't believe for a minute that this is about protecting women and
girls because if Republicans cared about that, they would not be voting
against equal pay, against paid sick leave, against universal
childcare.
The way that this bill targets children in the name of gender
equality is insulting. That is why women's organizations around the
country, including the Women's Sports Foundation, have denounced this
bill.
In reality, it actually endangers all women and girls. Think about
it. How do you enforce this ban? How do you verify a girl's
``reproductive anatomy''?
If a young girl--if your daughter doesn't look feminine enough, is
she subject to an examination? This is absolutely absurd.
Republicans are cruelly scapegoating children to distract you from
the very fact that you don't have actual solutions that answer the
American people's problems.
This attack on transgender children, though, also has dire
consequences. Over 75 percent of transgender students experience
harassment or discrimination at school.
Mr. Chairman, 82 percent of transgender kids have considered suicide,
and 40 percent have attempted suicide.
These bills tell some of the most vulnerable children in our country
that they do not belong. Shame on you.
To trans people everywhere, I say, I see you, and I will fight for
you. That is why last month I introduced the Transgender Bill of Rights
with 100 cosponsors to stand up for trans kids so that you can lead
your full lives as your authentic selves.
Mr. Chairman, I am the proud mother of a trans daughter, and when she
came out to me, I unconditionally embraced her because I
unconditionally love her.
If you don't understand what is going on with these kids, that is
okay. I have learned so much from my daughter. Let's learn together,
but don't, don't use our kids as punching bags and put them in danger.
When the Republican Governor of Utah, Spencer Cox, vetoed a similar
sports ban, he said this: ``I always try to err on the side of
kindness, mercy, and compassion. . . . I don't understand what they are
going through or why they feel the way they do, but I want them to
live.''
I want them to live. So to my colleagues, I say, stop targeting our
children. Let them play. Let them live. Vote ``no'' on this hateful
bill.

{time} 1330

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Illinois (Mrs. Miller), vice chair of the Committee on Education and
the Workforce.
Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the
Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which ensures fairness and
safety in girls' athletics.
Our daughters' opportunities to compete in athletics and their safety
at school have been threatened by the radical left's disturbing trend
of allowing biological men to compete with them and use the girls'
locker room.
Earlier this month, the world watched in horror as leftwing rioters
attacked a young woman named Riley Gaines and held her kidnapped
against her will simply because she was speaking out to defend girls'
sports. This week, the House will stand with Riley and all young women
and girls who deserve the full protection of Title IX.
The Biden administration has been clear. They want men competing
against our daughters, and they want to force schools to allow
biological men to change and shower with our daughters in the girls'
locker rooms. This is wrong.
Proverbs 31:8 reminds us that we must speak up for those who cannot
speak for themselves and defend the rights of those in need.
Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the
Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act and stand up for the rights
and the safety of our daughters.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, while girls' participation in sports have
increased 1,000 percent since Title IX, the participation numbers still
have not reached that of boys 50 years ago.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms.
Stevens).
Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Chairman, last month on the Education Committee, we
toiled until the early hours of the morning, marking up our very first
two

[[Page H1861]]

bills of the new Congress, one of which is the subject of our debate
today, H.R. 734.
Regrettably, neither of the bills address the issues most pressing to
students and teachers: murder by gun violence. There were 42 incidents
of gun violence on school grounds this year alone, 17 deaths, and 32
injuries. Every day 22 children are shot and 5 die.
With all due respect, I missed the part in the Bible that said that
people have a right to own a gun at the expense of our children's
ability to live and go to school safely.
So let's be clear. This is not an effort to address the longstanding
barriers all girls and women have faced in their pursuit of athletics.
Leading women's sports organizations and gender justice organizations
support transgender inclusion in sports without equivocation.
Mr. Chair, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this hateful
bill.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. Moran), a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee.
Mr. MORAN. Mr. Chairman, first and foremost, I thank Congressman Greg
Steube of Florida for introducing this important piece of legislation,
and Chairwoman Foxx for managing this afternoon's floor debate.
The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023 will
safeguard the ability of female athletes to participate freely in an
athletic space that for decades has been specifically carved out for
these athletes to compete safely.
When biological males infiltrate these spaces, opportunities are
taken away from these biological females.
Earlier this month, the Biden administration proposed a new Title IX
rule prohibiting public schools from banning transgender male athletes
from competing in sporting events with girls and women and eliminating
the State's policy to promote integrity in sports.
The Biden administration is attempting to change the playing field,
but there is nothing equal or level about allowing biological men to
compete in women and girls' sports.
Coaches in East Texas that I represent understand the biological
differences between men and women, and they understand that there is
nothing equal about allowing men to compete in women's sports.
This legislation will ensure that schools who receive Federal funding
can still protect biological women's and girls' rights to freely and
fairly participate in sports. As a father of two boys and two girls,
this is important to me. This will safeguard and uphold the integrity
of women's sports and the true intention of Title IX.
Mr. Chair, I am proud to stand here on the House floor today in
support of this legislation.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Pocan), the chair of the Equality Caucus.
Mr. POCAN. Mr. Chair, let's face it, most people in the United States
don't know someone who is transgender, and that can lead to fear of the
unknown.
Some less-scrupulous politicians feed that fear and are willing to
bully people, even kids, to lift themselves. They will tell you all
sorts of distortions to manipulate you if it benefits them.
They argue that there is a national problem if trans girls
participate in school sports. That is a lie. They don't care if it
hurts kids--trans kids in this case--who already face huge rates of
bullying just for being different. They just want to play with their
friends and learn the value sports offer, but these politicians don't
care. All they care about is building their political brand and lifting
their fundraising.
How do I know they really don't care about girls and women in sports?
Does anything in this bill address the severe inequities between men's
and women's sports?
Not one word. In fact, most women's sporting groups oppose the bill.
It is not about keeping kids safe. If it was, it would be about
keeping guns out of school.
Crickets on that.
Fortunately, not all Republicans agree.
The Republican Governor of Utah vetoed similar legislation
highlighting the daily challenges trans kids already go through from
bullying to suicide.
He shared how many trans kids play school sports in his State: Four
trans youth, only one a girl. There is your raging national problem.
What is the Republican's response to this nonexistent issue?
Hurt kids for being kids by banning them from playing in school
sports and even be as extreme as saying all female athletes, as young
as in their pre-teen years, can be subject to personal bodily
inspection by adults to prove that they are a girl.
Look, I know not everyone may understand this or may not know someone
who is transgender, but just because you don't understand something
isn't a good enough reason to outright ban kids from school sports.
We may not be able to stop unscrupulous politicians overnight, but we
can stop bad legislation from hurting good kids.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Rose).
Mr. ROSE. Mr. Chairman, today I rise as a Christian, a husband, and a
father in support of H.R. 734, the Protection of Women and Girls in
Sports Act, a bill that I am proud to cosponsor.
Tennessee is well-known for its iconic and legendary women's
basketball program, the Lady Volunteers.
Thankfully, our State has taken action to protect the Lady Vols from
ever being threatened to have to compete against biological males.
Whether it is for scholarships or national championships, biological
males ought to compete against biological males, and biological females
ought to compete against biological females.
Most Tennesseans consider this to be common sense.
That is why I am very thankful the House is considering the
Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act today, and I am extremely
proud to support its passage.
Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on this
legislation.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time remains on each
side?
The CHAIR. The gentleman from California has 17\1/2\ minutes
remaining. The gentlewoman from North Carolina has 14 minutes
remaining.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).
Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this
bill, which should be titled banning kids from school sports act.
No group of kids should be banned from school sports, period. We all
know what school sports are about. It is about teamwork, determination,
physical well-being. The Federal Government doesn't belong in our
classrooms, in the locker rooms of these kids, or between these
children and their parents.
There is this creepy idea that this bill is going to require genital
inspections of children. I mean, this is outrageous.
There was an invocation of some liturgy just a few moments ago saying
children are the creations of God. All children are the creations of
God. It is not up to you to decide which children don't belong. These
are all God's children. And don't accept this phony claim that this is
about the safety of kids. In fact, we know otherwise.
A very conservative advocacy group came up with this idea. The
President of that advocacy group said: ``We knew we needed to find an
issue that the candidates were comfortable talking about, and we threw
everything at the wall.'' They came up with this campaign against trans
kids, a sinister, political operation to use these kids to advance
their success in politics. It is wrong. All kids belong playing in
sports, to play with their friends, to enjoy their childhood.
There are more than 450 anti-trans bills being introduced all across
this country. It is terrible. These children matter. We see them. We
value them, and we have to respect them. Actually, trans kids belong
and deserve to participate in every school activity.
Mr. Chair, if my colleagues really cared about the well-being of
kids, let me remind them that the leading cause of death in this
country is gun violence. Yet, our Republican colleagues will not do
anything to protect children from being slaughtered in their schools--
the leading cause of death in this country. Instead, we are going to
spend time debating a bill to insert the

[[Page H1862]]

Federal Government into elementary schools and middle schools to
prevent all children from participating in sports.
What a terrible idea. Shame on you. This is a disgrace, and I urge
Members to vote ``no'' on this hideous piece of legislation.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield 90 seconds to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Williams), a member of the Education and the Workforce
Committee.
Mr. WILLIAMS of New York. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairwoman for
yielding.
Mr. Chair, within just a few years, our Nation will task the first
women with the awesome responsibility of commanding our nuclear
submarines. These submarines will serve on the front lines of any
future global conflict, and they are among the most feared and powerful
weapons in the world. Women who will command these boats will lead many
of the finest sailors our Nation has ever seen.
In nearly every case, these women's paths to this extraordinary
responsibility and this extraordinary call to leadership begin with and
traveled through their competitiveness in sports.
Leadership, excellence, teamwork, inspiration, and sacrifice are all
learned and earned on the sports field. They are champions. They are
scholars. They are warriors.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 734 in celebration of the
dramatic impact that women's competitive sports has brought to our
Nation and are now adding to the defense of our Nation.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Nadler).
Mr. NADLER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 734,
the so-called Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.
I say so-called because there is really nothing in this bill to
protect women and girls in sports. It is telling that every amendment
submitted by a Democrat to actually strengthen protections, such as
addressing unequal funding, was ruled out as not germane by
Republicans.
There are many real issues facing our Nation's women's and girls'
sports teams, including disproportionate funding and resources compared
to their male counterparts, but transgender athletes are not one of
them.
Every sports federation supports transgender athletes competing on an
equal basis, seeing no inherent advantage in sports competition for
transgender athletes.
Transgender young people experience increased incidences of bullying,
rejection, and discrimination, and nearly half of trans women and girls
report seriously considering suicide in the past year.
Why would we consider this hateful legislation that aims to isolate
an already vulnerable group of children further?
Mr. Chair, I am proud to have been the first Member of Congress to
speak out in support of transgender rights on the House floor. I do not
support traumatizing young children by subjecting them to intrusive
genital inspections.
Mr. Chair, I am proud to urge my colleagues to oppose this hateful
bill.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Michigan (Mrs. McClain), a member of the Committee on Education and the
Workforce and secretary of the Republican Conference.
Mrs. McCLAIN. Mr. Chairman, I stand here today enraged that we are
debating a bill to protect women and girls in sports.
I am enraged not because I disagree with the legislation, in fact, I
fully support the legislation. I am enraged by the fact that we have
reached a point in this country where we have to talk about a bill to
protect women and women's sports is even necessary.
When Congress passed Title IX in this very Chamber a half a century
ago, I thought it was supposed to be a victory for women across the
United States.
At what point did we throw it away and make it meaningless?
Do we not care about women?

{time} 1345

Did we forget about the women and the young girls?
Listen, as a wife, as a mother, as a female athlete, and as a coach
of female athletes, I take offense to this, because now 50 years later,
we are in the same Chamber, debating the merits of protecting women's
sports, once again.
The left's hypocrisy on this issue has resulted in women being
demolished in competitions, physically brutalized going up against
stronger opponents. They are losing individual games, State
championships, and NCAA's championships to biological males that have
decided to become a woman.
That is their right, but what about the women's rights? What about
the rights of the young girls? Do they not have any rights anymore?
Let's be clear about something: My Democratic colleagues can see what
is going on and what is happening, and I believe they know that this is
wrong, as well. That is why they hide behind it and don't deal with the
real issue.
Because of that reason, I am enraged today that we are debating a
bill that should not require any debate at all.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Jacobs).
Ms. JACOBS. Mr. Chair, Dr. Maya Angelou once said: ``When people show
you who they are, believe them the first time.'' Well, House
Republicans have shown us over and over again who they are, and it is
time we believe them.
They have introduced a national abortion ban. They oppose paid family
leave. They blocked the ERA. They fought against universal childcare.
Now they are using the false guise of protecting women to blatantly
discriminate against the trans community and threaten the privacy of
all women and girls.
House Republicans make trans kids' participation in sports seem
sinister and conniving, and that couldn't be further from the truth.
Trans kids are kids. They should be able to live full lives with
unlimited opportunities, including playing sports.
Despite what some of my colleagues have falsely claimed, trans girls
and women do not have an overwhelming physical advantage compared to
others. Just like all athletes, sometimes trans athletes win and
sometimes they lose, but we know this isn't about facts. This is about
discrimination and scoring political points.
To my colleagues who haven't been exposed to the LGBTQ+ community or
met someone who is trans or may not understand all of the different
terms, you still know this is wrong. You know it is wrong to isolate
and stigmatize and shame kids.
Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Good), chairman of the Health, Employment, Labor, and
Pensions Subcommittee.
Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 734,
the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.
In 2022, UVA swimmer and Olympic medalist Emma Weyant was the fastest
woman in NCAA division 1 women's 500-yard freestyle race.
Unfortunately, she was awarded second place. That is because Lia
Thomas, a man, was allowed to swim against her and beat her for the
national championship trophy.
Lia Thomas, whose given name at birth is William Thomas, ranks 65th
among men in the 500-yard men's freestyle; however, he could beat all
the biological women. A female student athlete at nearby Virginia Tech
lost her opportunity to compete in the finals because a man took her
place.
Sadly, Reka Gyorgy was one spot away from reaching her lifelong dream
and qualifying for the championship finals. Reka did not blame Lia
Thomas, but she did write a letter to the NCAA that said: ``This is my
last college meet ever and I feel frustrated. . . . That final spot was
taken away from me because of the NCAA's decision to let someone who is
not a biological female compete. . . . You could say I had the
opportunity to swim faster and make the top 16, but . . . I can't help
but be angry. . . . This is the result of the NCAA and their lack of
interest in protecting their athletes.''
The NCAA pretends to provide fairness by allowing men to compete as
women against true women if they just complete one year of testosterone
suppression. Common sense and science tell us that no amount of
testosterone

[[Page H1863]]

suppression can undo biology. We are all created immutably male or
female, and every one of our trillion or so cells are either male or
female.
In fact, the University of Nebraska exercise science professor, Dr.
Gregory Brown, has published a study that shows that the athletic
advantage of men exists even before puberty and persists even with
testosterone suppression.
The Acting CHAIR (Mr. DesJarlais). The time of the gentleman has
expired.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Virginia.
Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Men have a 40 to 50 percent greater muscle mass
than women, but on average testosterone suppression only results in a 5
percent reduction.
The left wants to rob talented women and girls of opportunities to
succeed and to achieve their dreams in the swimming pool, on the court,
and on the field because they can't or won't define what a woman is.
The American people know this is wrong, and I am proud to vote
``yes'' for this bill to protect women and girls in sports.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Robert Garcia).
Mr. ROBERT GARCIA of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman
for yielding time.
Mr. Chair, I rise today in anger and strong opposition to this bill.
Now, I know how painful life can be as an openly gay person, but that
pales in comparison to what transgender Americans face every day.
Our voters send us here to address our country's biggest challenges,
but instead of taking that responsibility seriously, House Republicans
are choosing to bully and belittle trans children. This is about
attacking a small group of children, and it is shameful.
These people don't give a damn about women or girls. If they did, we
would be talking about the very real problems of paid equity and
ensuring sports are safe from sexual harassment and abuse, but instead,
they are peddling open bigotry and its disgusting BS culture war right
here from the House floor. Why are Republicans so obsessed with
attacking trans youth and children? We need answers.
To the trans and nonbinary youth that are watching this, I am so
sorry your government is failing you today. We will never stop fighting
to defend your dignity and your humanity. We love you.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Mast), a true hero here in the House of Representatives.
Mr. MAST. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of protecting women and girls
in sports, and protect them from what? Protect them from this, very
simply: Cheating. It is cheating.
This is why we love sports so much. It is because of the fairness
element of it. It is why we don't allow deflated footballs or why we
don't allow corked bats or Vaseline on a baseball. The list goes on and
on. It is why we have referees and umpires and line judges, because we
want it to be fair. That is one of the great things about sports.
If we are going to allow men into women's sports, why have any laws
or rules about doping or steroids whatsoever? Why should any sports
regulate doping or steroids if you are going to let men into women
sports? It makes no sense at all. I beg that question. Anybody have an
answer?
I don't hear an answer. I will beg this other last question for a
moment while I have a minute. We are not talking about real women
competing in women's sports; we are talking about real boys, real men
competing in women's sports. I will leave it at that.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I include in the Record the following
letters from PFLAG, a consortium of women and girls' rights
organizations and 40 professional athletes all in opposition to H.R.
734.

PFLAG,

April 14, 2023.
Member of Congress,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative: PFLAG is the nation's largest
organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and
advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them. Since
our founding in 1973, we have been the connection for LGBTQ+
people with community, parents with resources, and allies
with tools, bolstering the LGBTQ+ movement with strength,
power, and love.
PFLAG families, members, and supporters in every District
across the country urge Congress and others to support
inclusion of transgender, nonbinary and intersex youth in
sports. We strongly oppose isolating, and excluding youth
from participation, and violating privacy and protection in
order to combat discrimination granted in Title IX, which by
law promises not to discriminate on the basis of sex.
In furtherance of the above,--and in pursuit of protecting
trans, nonbinary, and intersex youth athletes who participate
in sports with their cisgender peers--PFLAG National opposes
H.R. 734, the so-called Protection of Women and Girls in
Sports Act of 2023, and rejects its targeted attacks which
not only harms transgender, nonbinary, and intersex youth and
their families but also harms girls' and women's sports as a
whole.
When more than 20 states have or seek laws to restrict
trans, nonbinary and intersex students from participating
with their peers in sports, families everywhere must be able
to rely on our federal government to seek fair inclusion and
equal access in all areas of public education, including
sports.
Our families across the nation are relying on you to do
what this bill states in name but defies in content: Protect
women and girls in sports by including--not excluding--trans,
nonbinary and intersex youth participation in sports.
If you or your staff have any questions or wish to speak to
your constituents who are part of PFLAG and can speak to the
negative impact and harm that passage of this bill would have
and inflict, please contact our Director of Policy Diego M.
Sanchez.
PFLAG's network of hundreds of chapters and hundreds of
thousands of members from coast to coast are working to
create an equitable, inclusive world where every LGBTQ+
person is safe, celebrated, empowered, and loved. We are all
counting on you to do the proper and honorable act of voting
``No'' on H.R. 734 when it comes to the House Floor for a
vote.
Sincerely,

Brian K. Bond,

Executive Director,
PFLAG National.
____

April 14, 2023.
Dear Member of Congress: The National Women's Law Center
and Women's Sports Foundation, joined by the undersigned
women's and girls' rights organizations, write to voice our
vehement opposition to H.R. 734, ``The Protection of Women
and Girls in Sports Act of 2023,'' and any other similar
effort to ban transgender girls from participating in sports.
As organizations deeply committed to fulfilling the promise
of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 of equal
educational opportunity for all women and girls, including in
school sports, we have advocated for gender equity in schools
for decades. We support the inclusion of all students,
including transgender, intersex, and nonbinary students in
school sports as part of this mission. While this bill is
framed as ``protecting women's and girls' sports,'' we write
to call out this hateful measure for what it actually is: a
discriminatory attempt to target an already-marginalized
group, rather than to promote fairness and safety in school
sports for women and girls. We thus urge you to oppose H.R.
734 and join us in rallying behind all women and girls and
rejecting the efforts to enshrine sex discrimination against
an especially vulnerable group within Title IX.
H.R. 734 unmistakably constitutes discrimination on the
basis of sex. As recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court,
numerous Federal courts, and the U.S. Department of
Education, discrimination includes discrimination based on
gender identity and sex characteristics. Title IX's mandate
that all students must be able to access the benefits and
opportunities of an education free from sex discrimination
includes the right to play sports. It is well documented that
sports participation is linked to increased academic
achievement, and fosters in students increased emotional,
mental, and physical well-being and a sense of community.
Amending Title IX to exclude transgender, intersex, and
nonbinary students from these essential benefits of sports
participation betrays Title IX's broad purpose to defeat sex
discrimination in education in order to further harm these
students, who because of stigma and discrimination are
already especially vulnerable to isolation and decreased
academic performance.
The bill's title, ``Protecting Women and Girls in Sports
Act,'' is an intentionally deceptive misnomer, as H.R. 734
makes no effort to address the actual, pervasive
discriminatory barriers that women and girls continue to face
in school athletics. H.R. 734 does nothing to address the
fact that college women have almost 60,000 fewer athletic
opportunities to play than men, or that high school girls
have over 1 million fewer opportunities than boys do to play
sports. It fails to take any steps to open opportunities for
women and girls of color, who are disproportionately impacted
by these disparities in participation opportunities. H.R. 734
does not advance policies to address the second-class
treatment women's and girls' teams continue to receive from
their schools as compared to men's and boys' teams when it
comes to facilities, equipment, and travel. Nor does H.R. 734
seek to strengthen protections against the rampant sexual
abuse student-athletes of all ages and genders still

[[Page H1864]]

face. To put it plainly, one would be hard pressed to explain
how banning transgender women and girls from playing
alongside their peers does anything to address actual
problems of sex discrimination in sports.
Transgender women and girls have been playing school sports
for years, and claims that they have been unfairly
``dominating'' competition or excluding their cisgender peers
from chances to play are utterly false. Indeed, recent data
from the CDC shows that state policies that prevent
transgender high school students from playing are correlated
with lower participation by all high school girls between
2011 and 2019; meanwhile, participation by all girls remained
unchanged in states with policies allowing transgender
students to play. H.R. 734's real purpose is not to expand
opportunities for women and girls, but to deny transgender,
intersex, and nonbinary students of their right under Title
IX to equal athletic opportunities. This bill coopts the
language of women's rights to undermine protections against
sex discrimination.
Not only does H.R. 734 fail to address the actual, ongoing
problems that limit women's and girls' opportunities in
school sports, but excluding women and girls who are
transgender from school sports invites gender policing that
threatens all women and girls. H.R. 734 is vague and
unworkable, and could only be implemented by a combination of
invasive and harmful practices. There is no principled way to
apply the bill's unclear language to the many girls and young
women born with intersex variations, which by definition, are
variations in ``reproductive biology and genetics at birth.
``Similar bans have been widely used to push girls and women
born with these variations out of sports opportunities and
have chilled their participation in school sports.
Additionally, H.R. 734 would inevitably lead to some schools
adopting invasive and dangerous ``sex verification''
practices, which police women and girls' bodies by forcing
them to submit to a variety of humiliating and unscientific
practices for the purported purpose of determining whether
they are ``really'' girls or women. These procedures make all
women and girls vulnerable to sexual abuse, but are
especially likely to be used to target Black and brown women
and girls who do not conform to white ideals of femininity,
other women and girls who do not conform to sexist
stereotypes, and nonbinary and gender nonconforming students.
If H.R. 734 becomes law, it would permit school districts,
colleges and universities, and athletics associations to
become the arbiters of who is ``sufficiently'' feminine to
play, thereby perpetuating harmful racist and sexist
stereotypes that punish students for who they are or how they
look, and placing students at further risk for sexual abuse.
Transgender and intersex women and girls are women and
girls, and should have the right to participate in athletics
consistent with their gender identity. The blanket,
discriminatory exclusion that H.R. 734 would mandate for
every age, every sport, and every level of competition flies
in the face of Title IX's mandate of equal access to
educational opportunities. H.R. 734 promotes fear, dangerous
stereotypes, and sex discrimination based on misinformation,
and it should not become law.
As women's rights and gender justice organizations, we
vehemently reject the dangerous legislation and rhetoric
pushed by politicians seeking to marginalize transgender,
nonbinary, and intersex people. Supporting the civil rights
of women and girls cannot be separated from championing
policies that protect the rights of transgender, intersex,
and nonbinary individuals' rights to be free from sex
discrimination, including in school sports. This, at a
minimum, includes voicing strong opposition to H.R. 734.
Sincerely,
National Women's Law Center and Women's Sports Foundation,
joined by:
National Organizations:
A Better Balance, Advocates for Youth, Alliance of Tribal
Coalitions to End Violence, American Association of
University Women, Athletes Unlimited, Catholics for Choice,
Clearinghouse on Women's Issues, End Rape On Campus, Equal
Rights Advocates, Family Values @ Work, Feminist Majority
Foundation, Futures Without Violence, Girls Inc., Harvard Law
School Gender Violence Program, Healthy Teen Network,
Institute for Women's Policy Research, It's On Us, Jewish
Women International, Just Solutions, Know Your IX, Advocates
for Youth, Legal Momentum, the Women's Legal Defense and
Education Fund, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence,
National Council of Jewish Women, National Latina Institute
for Reproductive Justice.
National Network to End Domestic Violence, National
Organization for Women, National Partnership for Women &
Families, National Resource Center on Domestic Violence,
National Women's Political Caucus, Physicians for
Reproductive Health, Public Justice, SafeBAE, Sexual Violence
Prevention Association, SIECUS, Stop Sexual Assault in
Schools, The Army of Survivors, The Every Voice Coalition,
The National Domestic Violence Hotline, Tucker Center for
Research on Girls & Women in Sport, UltraViolet Action, Union
for Reform Judaism, United State of Women (USOW), ValorUS,
VOICE IN SPORT Foundation, Women's Law Project, YWCA USA,
9to5.
State and Local Organizations:
AAUW Pennsylvania, Bucks County Women's Advocacy Coalition,
Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE),
Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Family
Violence Appellate Project, Forward Allies, Gender Equality
Law Center, Gender Justice, Illinois Coalition Against
Domestic Violence, Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence,
Jane Doe, Inc., Legal Aid at Work, Maine Women's Lobby, Make
It Work Nevada, Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence,
Men Stopping Violence, Inc., Nevada Coalition to End Domestic
and Sexual Violence, New York State Coalition Against
Domestic Violence, North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic
Violence, Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual
Violence, Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence,
Pride Aroostook, Rebuilding Hope! Sexual Assault Center for
Pierce County, Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic
Violence.
Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence,
Violence Free Minnesota, Virginia Sexual and Domestic
Violence Action Alliance, Washington State Coalition Against
Domestic Violence, Women Against Abuse, Women's Center &
Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, Women's Resource Center,
Women's Resources of Monroe County, Inc., YWCA Berkeley/
Oakland, YWCA Billings, YWCA Binghamton Broome County, YWCA
Delaware, YWCA Duluth, YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley, YWCA
Grand Island, YWCA Jamestown, YWCA Kaua`i, YWCA Minneapolis,
YWCA New Hampshire, YWCA North Central Washington, YWCA
Northeast Kansas, YWCA Northern New Jersey, YWCA of Eastern
Union County, YWCA Pierce County, YWCA Princeton, YWCA
Western New York, YWCA Yakima.
We, the undersigned athletes, believe that every child
deserves to have their life changed for the better by being
able to participate in the sport that they love.
As professional, Olympic and Paralympic athletes, we have
dedicated our lives to sports. Sports have given us our
greatest friends, taught us incredible life lessons, and
given us the confidence and drive to succeed in the world.
Those of us who love sport know that its value goes far
beyond the playing field, to developing a sense of self and
identity, and reflecting what we value as a community. Sport
is a tremendous outlet for physical and mental health,
teaches valuable lessons on teamwork and discipline, and has
brought us lifelong community. Every single child should have
access to the lifesaving power of sports.
Right now, transgender and intersex human rights are under
attack, with politicians in Washington D.C. pushing forward
H.R. 734, the so-called ``Protection of Girls and Women in
Sports Act'', which would stipulate that Title IX compliance
requires banning transgender and intersex girls and women
from participating in sports. If this bill passes,
transgender and intersex girls and women throughout the
country will be forced to sit on the sidelines, away from
their peers and their communities. Furthermore, the policing
of who can and cannot play school sports will very likely
lead to the policing of the bodies of all girls, including
cisgender girls. This will deter girls from participating in
sports and create additional barriers. Denying children
access to a place where they can gain significant mental and
physical health benefits, and learn lifelong lessons that
come from being part of a team and working hard towards your
goals does not protect women in sports.
We believe that gender equity in sport is critical which is
why we urge policymakers to turn their attention and effort
to the causes women athletes have been fighting for decades,
including equal pay, an end to abuse and mistreatment, uneven
implementation of Title IX, and a lack of access and equity
for girls of color and girls with disabilities, to name only
a few
Our deepest hope is that transgender and intersex kids will
never have to feel the isolation, exclusion and othering that
H.R. 734 is seeking to enshrine into law.
Signed,
Abby Dunkin, Paralympic Gold medalist, Wheelchair
Basketball, Team USA
Alison Desir, Founder, Harlem Run and Co-Chair, Running
Industry Diversity Coalition
Angela Hucles, Former Professional and Olympic Soccer
Player, Team USA/NWSL; Former President of the Women's Sports
Foundation
Becky Sauerbrunn, Olympic Gold Medalist, Soccer, Team USA/
NWSL
Bella Bixby, Professional Soccer Player, NWSL
Brad Stuver, Professional Soccer Player, MLS
Caitlin Cosme, Professional Soccer Player, NWSL
Carly Nelson, Professional Soccer Player, NWSL
Carrie Sheinberg, Former Olympic Alpine Skier, Team USA
CeCe Telfer, NCAA National Champion
Celia Jimenez, Professional Soccer Player, NWSL and Spanish
National Team
Chris Mosier, Triathlete & Duathlete, 6-time Team USA and
Founder of TransAthlete.Com
Devin Ibanez, Professional Rugby Player, Major League Rugby
Emily Menges, Professional Soccer Player, NWSL
Erika Lawler, Olympic Ice Hockey Player, Team USA
Esther Lofgren, Olympic Rower, Team USA
Grete Eliassen, Professional Freestyle Skier
Gwen Berry, Olympic Track and Field athlete, Team USA

[[Page H1865]]

Imani Dorsey, Professional Soccer Player, NWSL
JayCee Cooper, Powerlifter
Jessica Mendoza, Former Olympic Softball Player, Team USA
Johnny Stanton, Professional Football Player, NFL
Kaiya McCullough, Former Professional Soccer Player, NWSL
Kaylie Collins, Professional Soccer Player, NWSL
Kendall Chase, Olympic Rower, Team USA
Layshia Clarendon, Professional Basketball Player, WNBA
Lori Lindsey, Former Olympic and Professional Soccer
Player, Team USA/NWSL
Madison Packer, Professional Ice Hockey Player, Premier
Hockey Federation
Meaghan Nally, Professional Soccer Player, NWSL
Megan Rapinoe, Olympic and Professional Soccer Player, Team
USA/NWSL
Meghan Duggan, Former Olympic Ice Hockey Player, Team USA
Meghan Klingenberg, Olympic and Professional Soccer Player,
Team USA/NWSL
Meghan O'Leary, Olympic Rower, Team USA
Mikey Lopez, Professional Soccer Player, USL Championship
Naya Tapper, Olympic Rugby Player, Team USA
Pam Boteler, Former Team USA Sprint Canoeist
Patricio Manual, Professional Boxer
Sophia Herzog-Gibb, Paralympic Swimmer, Team USA
Sue Bird, Olympic and Professional Basketball Player, Team
USA/WNBA
Tziarra King, Professional Soccer Player, NWSL

Mr. TAKANO. I remind my colleagues on the other side that trans
people do exist. To deny their existence is to also deny their
humanity, and this is a terrible thing.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Frost).
Mr. FROST. Mr. Chairman, this morning I called a 12-year-old in my
district who is worried about their future as a nonbinary kid in this
country. They should be playing and learning, and not writing to their
Congress Member, desperate to not lose their right to exist.
These are the priorities of the Republican majority--not addressing
gun violence, rising rent, or medical bills, but violating the privacy
of children. I am glad I get previews. I get special previews of what
this Republican majority is going to try to do in this body because
they are simply taking bills that are being passed in Florida and
across the South, horrible bills, and trying to get them passed up
here.
This isn't about a problem that needs a solution, but about
politicians looking for a target. We want freedom and liberty for all
of our people, and they want the government to be in children's pants.
Disgusting.
History will not look kindly on this. Trans people will continue to
fight for equity. We will be right by their side, and we will win.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
Wyoming (Ms. Hageman).
Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Chairman, I will start by stating the obvious fact
that it seems astonishing to even have to state: Men and women are
biologically different and just by a boy calling himself a girl, it
doesn't make it so.
It is amazing but telling that the same people who scolded us about
following the science during COVID have attempted to do anything but
follow actual science when it comes to men and boys in women's sports.
Boys shouldn't be dunking on girls during a high school basketball
game or hitting home runs in a girls' softball game. No sane person can
argue that men and women do not have different physical
characteristics, strength, and speed. There is a reason why girls and
boys have different sports teams.
I played sports in high school, and I am sure glad that we weren't as
lost as a society as what we seem to be today. What has gone so
horribly wrong in our society where those of us who are not okay with
our daughters and granddaughters sharing a locker room or a bathroom
with boys are the ones that are considered to be crazy by the liberal
elites, sports leagues, and woke corporations.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
New Mexico (Ms. Stansbury).
Ms. STANSBURY. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to stand with our trans
kids and their freedom to be who they are. To all of our trans and
LGBTQ+ kids who are watching today, let me just say that we see you,
that we love you, and that you belong.
Now, let's be clear about what this bill actually is: It is about
legislating hate in the name of advancing a political agenda. Now, our
colleagues are trying to claim that they are out here defending the
rights of women as they are waging a campaign to take away our
reproductive freedoms, to ban books, and now to bully our kids. It is
disgusting.
I am proud to be a New Mexican, and I am proud to be from a State
that is defending the rights of our children, of our LGBTQ+ community,
and our reproductive rights, because in New Mexico, we stand with trans
kids, and we stand in the fiercest opposition to this bill.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Protection
of Women and Girls in Sports Act. Last year, we celebrated the 50th
anniversary of Title IX, which has made incredible progress for women
in this country, opening doors for countless women and girls.
Thanks to Title IX, women have been afforded incredible opportunities
in sports. I have seen this firsthand in my daughter who is an aspiring
college volleyball player, as well as through the growth of women's
professional sports across this country, including women's hockey.
It is outrageous that we even have to consider legislation like this
today, but, unfortunately, Democrats are seeking to weaken Title IX.
President Biden and Democrats across this Nation are pushing for
radical policies that will jeopardize the progress that has been made
over 50 years.
These policies ignore the biological differences between men and
women. They will force female athletes to compete against biological
males in high school and collegiate sports. They will jeopardize years
of hard work put in by female athletes like my daughter and
disincentivize their future participation. In short, they will erase
women from athletics.
The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act will protect and
strengthen Title IX and will ensure that women and girls have the level
playing field they deserve.

{time} 1400

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I include in the Record an article from the
Advocate titled ``Judge Blocks Utah Trans Sports Ban, While Probe of
Athlete Emerges,'' from August 2022.

[From the Advocate, Aug. 19, 2022]

Judge Blocks Utah Trans Sports Ban, While Probe of Athlete Emerges

(By Trudy Ring)

A judge in Utah has blocked enforcement of the state's
transgender sports ban, days after news emerged that parents
of cisgender female athletes had filed a complaint about an
alleged trans competitor who turned out not to be.
Judge Keith A. Kelly in the Third District Court of Utah,
located in Salt Lake County, issued a preliminary injunction
Friday against the state's blanket ban on trans girls in
girls' school sports, meaning it can't be enforced while a
lawsuit against it proceeds. The ban is only one section of
the law passed as House Bill 11. He left the rest of the law
intact, including the requirement for trans girls to go
before a commission to determine their eligibility to compete
in girls' sports.
``Thus, the effect of this preliminary injunction will not
mean that transgender girls will automatically be eligible to
compete on their school's girls' teams,'' Kelly wrote.
``Rather, it will allow them to compete only upon the
commission's determination that their being able to compete
is fair under all of the circumstances.''
Utah lawmakers overrode Gov. Spencer Cox's veto to pass the
legislation in March.
The injunction comes shortly after another development
regarding the law. The parents of the second- and third-place
finishers in a state-level girls' sports event complained to
the Utah High School Activities Association that they
suspected the winner of the event was trans, David Spatafore,
legislative representative for the association, told the Utah
Legislature's Education Interim Committee Wednesday, the
Deseret News reports. The UHSAA had the student's school
investigate, looking over her records all the way back to
kindergarten, and it turned out that she was not trans. He
didn't identify the student, the school, or the sport, citing
privacy considerations.
He said the association has received other complaints about
supposed trans competitors, sometimes with people saying a
girl simply ``doesn't look feminine enough.''
Opponents of the law said this shows major problems with
it. ``We warned about this being a possibility, that everyone
would accuse everyone who is successful of being

[[Page H1866]]

transgender,'' Sue Robbins, a member of the Transgender
Advisory Council of Equality Utah, told The Salt Lake
Tribune. ``It becomes about judging women's bodies. And no
body is safe.''
At his monthly press conference Thursday, Gov. Cox called
this investigation a disturbing development. ``My goodness,
we're living in this world where we've become sore losers,
and we're looking for any reason why our kid lost,'' he said,
according to the Tribune. ``I have a real problem with that
story. . . . I just wish we could be a little more thoughtful
in life and a little less critical of other people.''
Meanwhile, the parents who filed suit against the law
welcomed Friday's injunction. ``My husband and I are very
relieved by this decision,'' Debbie Roe, a parent plaintiff
in the lawsuit, Roe v. UHSAA, said in a press release. ``We
are grateful the court understood how much harm this law has
caused, which has been a huge source of stress and trauma for
our child. Our daughter just wants the same chance as other
kids to make friends and play on the team she loves. Today's
ruling gives her the opportunity to do that.''
``This is a win not only for my child but for all girls in
this state,'' added Jean Noe, another parent plaintiff.
``This law is based on stereotypes and misconceptions that
are harmful to all girls. I am grateful the court has put
this dangerous law on pause and that, at least for the
moment, all Utah children can know that they are valued and
supported.''
``We are very pleased by the court's decision,'' said
Justice Christine Durham, former chief justice of the Utah
Supreme Court and senior of counsel at Wilson Sonsini, one of
the lawyers representing the parents. ``Thus far, every court
to rule on a similar ban has barred it from taking effect,
due in part to the serious harms caused by excluding an
entire group of students from such an important school
activity. We read today's decision as recognizing that the
law is not only discriminatory but puts Utah children at
needless risk of lifelong harm. We look forward to moving
forward with the case and securing a permanent decision
blocking the law from taking effect.''
In addition to Wilson Sonsini, the parents are represented
by the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah and the
National Center for Lesbian Rights.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Kamlager-Dove)
Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, I rise today to strongly oppose this
attack on trans women and girls, known as the Republicans' politics
over participation act.
Americans are concerned about gun violence, paying rent, climate
change, and reproductive rights, but Republicans are once again stoking
culture fires, putting lives at risk, ignoring everyday kitchen-table
issues, and searching for votes rather than solutions.
This legislation would make it a violation of Title IX for federally
funded institutions to allow trans women and girls to play sports,
potentially setting gender equity back decades and undermining the true
purpose of Title IX.
This bill is so vaguely written that it would subject every single
girl to undergo a medical evaluation to prove their femaleness. Did I
wake up? Are we in Iran? Is this what we want to subject our girls to?
This bill is assaultive, dehumanizing, and tantamount to rape. To its
core, this bill is issue-deflecting and cloaked in misogyny, and it is
a true disgrace because I don't think you would do this to a man to
prove their maleness. This is sick.
Vote ``no'' on this legislation.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New
York (Ms. Tenney).
Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
Mr. Chair, I was a female athlete many years ago and didn't have
access to Title IX like women do today. I was a competitive basketball
player, equestrian, and, yes, the 1975 teenage curling champion from
Utica, New York. Some of these sports are sports where women and men
can compete equally, and some are not.
I recently attended an event with Riley Gaines, the brave young woman
who is standing up for women against the NCAA's unfairness in the
women's swimming championship.
Riley Gaines tied for first with a biological male and was denied the
ability to get her trophy. In fact, they sent it to her in the mail.
She couldn't stand on the podium because she was told by an NCAA
official that they needed a photo op to put the biological male in that
place, a person who had competed as a male for 3 years unsuccessfully
before coming in and reaching the top of the women's championships.
Unfortunately, Riley did not get to have that title. She did not get
to sit on the podium.
Today, House Republicans are standing up for Riley and women like
her.
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the
gentlewoman from New York.
Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Chair, this type of unfair competition weakens Title
IX protections. I hope that we will all join in and protect women's
sports, especially when we have worked so hard as women to gain these
rights for women, our grandchildren, and our children of tomorrow.
I thank the sponsor, Mr. Steube, and I thank Dr. Foxx for putting
this bill on the floor and for her advocacy.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Landsman).
Mr. LANDSMAN. Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to this bill.
I hate bullies. This bill is about bullying children.
Children struggle with identity, gender, and otherwise. As a parent,
I need all the other adults, teachers, coaches, and lawmakers to help
me and my wife to protect our children, support them, give them a sense
of purpose and belonging.
This is the opposite of that. You are picking on children.
Your government has become so intrusive in our lives. You are in our
doctors' offices banning reproductive freedom. You are in our
classrooms banning books and what teachers can and can't say.
Now, you are in my daughter's locker room requiring physical exams of
children? It is so profoundly disgusting and inappropriate.
It is un-American. Don't tread on us. Let us be.
We have an economy to fix, a public safety crisis to address, a
border to secure, a budget to balance, roads to pave, and bridges to
build.
Focus. Stop bullying children.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I include in the Record letters from the Human
Rights Campaign and the Athletes' Advisory Council.

Human Rights Campaign,

April 14, 2023.
Dear Representative: On behalf of the Human Rights
Campaign's more than three million members and supporters
nationwide, I write to express our strong opposition to H.R.
734--the misnamed Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act
of 2023 which seeks to implement a discriminatory ban on
transgender girls participating in girls' sports nationwide.
As the nation's largest civil rights organization working to
achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer
equality, we are deeply concerned about the negative impact
this legislation would have on young people already facing
significant challenges due to stigma and discrimination.
Athletics are an experience everyone deserves equal access
to. School sports provide important development opportunities
that teach young people about teamwork, perseverance,
leadership, discipline, and exercise, and help them build
friendships and community. All kids--including transgender
girls and intersex children who would also be restricted from
participating in school sports by this bill--should have the
same opportunities to participate in activities that embody
our shared ideals as Americans.
We know that allowing transgender and intersex youth to
play sports in school does not disadvantage anyone else.
States, school districts, and athletic associations around
the country have allowed transgender and intersex young
people to participate in school sports consistent with their
gender identity for decades--all without issue. Indeed,
despite hundreds, if not thousands, of transgender women and
girls participating in sports over time, only a handful of
transgender athletes in high school or college have had any
notable success. This is because transgender and intersex
students do not seek to participate in sports consistent with
their gender identity to gain an unfair advantage--they do it
for the same reasons other young people play sports in
school: to challenge themselves, improve their fitness, be
part of a team, and have fun.
Banning transgender and intersex kids from playing sports
in school would do nothing to address ongoing, well-
documented threats to girls' and women's sports, including a
lack of equal resources, pay inequality, and sexual
harassment. Advocates for women and girls in sports like the
National Women's Law Center, the Women's Sports Foundation,
Women Leaders in College Sports, and American Association of
University Women all support policies allowing transgender
people to play sports consistent with their gender identity.
These groups oppose efforts to exclude transgender students
like this bill, which

[[Page H1867]]

would promote baseless fears and misinformation rather than
solve any real problems.
We urge you to vote no on H.R. 734, as well as vote against
any anti-LGBTQ+ amendments. We will consider these key votes.
Sincerely,
Kelley Robinson,
President.
____

Athletes' Advisory Council,

April 14, 2023.
Re H.R. 734--OPPOSE.

Dear Members of Congress: The Team USA Athletes' Commission
(Team USA AC), formally known as the United States Olympic
and Paralympic Committee Athletes' Advisory Council (AAC),
serves as the representative group and voice of Team USA
athletes (approximately 5,000 athletes). We write to you
today to voice our opposition to H.R. 734, ``The Protection
of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023.''
H.R. 734 does not align with the Team USA AC position, as
detailed in our June 2022 Statement on Transgender and
Nonbinary Athlete Inclusion:
``The AAC [now Team USA AC], which serves as the
representative group and voice of Team USA athletes, seeks to
promote a safe and welcoming environment for everyone
involved in sport, consistent with the AAC's core values of
championing diversity, equity and inclusion.
Everyone should have equal access to and opportunity in
sport. The AAC opposes any attempt to marginalize, limit or
deny human rights and is on the side of inclusion of all
participants in youth sports. Banning transgender and
nonbinary kids from sports ostracizes from a fundamental part
of growing up and all the benefits sports provide to youth.
The AAC also recognizes the difference between youth sports
(K-12 and recreational) and elite sports. Competitive sport
relies on a level playing field where no athlete has an
unfair and disproportionate advantage over another. Sport
must ensure everyone, irrespective of their gender identity
or sex characteristics, can compete in a safe environment
that respects and recognizes their needs and identities while
balancing the interests of ensuring fair competition. Like
the IOC, we echo that simply because an athlete is
transgender or has an intersex variation, does not mean they
automatically have a competitive advantage in sport.
Each sport's governing body should be given the latitude to
determine how an athlete may be at a disproportionate
advantage over another considering the nature of each sport.
Eligibility criteria play a paramount role in ensuring
fairness, particularly at the elite level. Such criteria
should be evidence-based, employ a stakeholder centered
approach and be grounded in inclusion, prevention of harm,
fairness and nondiscrimination. As the AAC, we remain
committed to ensuring all athletes have the right to
participate in sport in a way that respects their health,
safety and dignity.'
The blanket exclusion that H.R. 734 would mandate for every
age, every sport, and every level of competition is contrary
to Title IX's mandate of equal access to educational
opportunities.
We ask all members of Congress to oppose H.R. 734.
Sincerely,
Mark Ladwig,
Chair, Team USA Athletes' Commission.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. Green).
Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, and I still I rise with but 30 seconds
to take a position.
It is impossible in the time allotted to give a proper recitation. I
can but say this: I don't believe that this is the place for this
decision to be made, regardless as to what your position is. I stand
against the legislation because I don't think it ought to be before the
House of Representatives.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chair, I want to briefly discuss the proposed regulation the
Department of Education recently issued on this topic.
Frankly, either you believe women's access to athletic opportunity
should be protected or you don't. Either you believe fairness and
safety in women's athletics should be protected or you don't.
The Department of Education clearly doesn't believe in those things.
If it did, it wouldn't have proposed a rule that will upend the laws 20
States have on the books protecting women's sports.
More shockingly, the Department's rule provides no meaningful
guidelines as to what will be an acceptable level of protection for
female athletes. That decision will apparently be made on a case-by-
case basis by Secretary of Education Cardona.
Democrats apparently believe one man should get to decide whether or
not women athletes are guaranteed equal access, fairness, and safety.
Once upon a time, Democrats would have recognized the cruel irony of
that. Unfortunately, that day is long gone.
Fortunately, Republicans haven't lost sight of our obligation, and
that is why we will pass this bill.
Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, may I inquire of the time remaining.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from North Carolina has 2\1/2\
minutes remaining. The gentleman from California has 8 minutes
remaining.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from
Massachusetts (Ms. Pressley).
Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Chair, I rise today in solidarity with our children
across the Nation.
I want to speak plainly to our trans kids: You belong. You are
enough. You deserve to show up fully in this world. You deserve joy and
every single opportunity. You are perfect just as you are. In the
classroom and on the soccer field, you should not be subject to
discrimination. You should be able to just be a kid. I will always be
in your corner.
To anyone who supports this cruel bill, shame on you. If you want to
advance policy on behalf of our kids, this isn't it. Ban assault
weapons so they can live to the last school bell. Get off your soapbox
and stop politicking with our kids' lives.
The Acting CHAIR. Members are reminded to address their remarks to
the Chair.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I include in the Record letters from the ACLU,
the Leadership Conference of Civil and Human Rights, and GLSEN, all in
opposition to H.R. 734.

American Civil Liberties Union,

Washington, DC, April 14, 2023.
Dear Representative: The American Civil Liberties Union
strongly urges you to oppose H.R. 734, the Protection of
Women and Girls in Sports Act. This discriminatory and
unconstitutional legislation would make it illegal for
schools receiving federal funding to allow transgender girls
and women to play on sports teams for girls and women, in
violation of the Constitution's guarantee of equal
protection. In addition, under Title IX, all girls, including
those who are transgender, should be able to participate
fully and equally in athletics, in accordance with who they
are. This will be the first vote in congressional history to
specifically single out transgender people for
discrimination. Because of the importance of this vote, the
ACLU will be scoring it.
Across the country, state legislatures have advanced
legislation to ban transgender children from participating in
sports, particularly transgender girls. These legislators--
like the proponents of this legislation--have argued that
passing these bans is necessary to protect sports for girls
and women. There are a multitude of barriers facing female
student athletes--from continued funding inequities to pay
disparities among coaches and staff to harassment and abuse.
The participation of their transgender peers, who frequently
number in the single digits in states that have enacted bans
identical to this one, is simply not one of those barriers.
Legislators supporting these bans are cynically using
transgender people as political pawns under the guise of
``protecting women's sports,'' yet leading advocates for
women's sports, including the Women's Sports Foundation,
Women Leaders in College Sports, the Tucker Center for
Research on Girls & Women in Sport, National Women's Law
Center, and hundreds of athletes in women's sports and other
women's rights groups have consistently voiced their strong
support for inclusion of transgender girls and women in
women's sports.
These organizations rightly recognize that transgender
girls and women participate in sports for the same reasons as
their peers who are not transgender: to be part of a team,
learn sportsmanship, and challenge themselves. The experience
of 12-year-old Becky PepperJackson from West Virginia is
reflective of so many other transgender youth across the
country. These are Becky's own words:
A long time before I or my parents understood what the word
``transgender'' meant--as far back as I can remember--I knew
that I am a girl. I'm 12 years old and in the 7th grade now,
and I'm lucky that my friends at school all accept me for who
I am: a girl who loves math and science, anything pink, and
playing video games with my friends. And I'm a runner. Most
of my family runs. I run with my two big brothers and my mom,
and sometimes my aunt joins us too.
After I ran with my school's cross-country team in the
spring of 2022, my coach encouraged me to try out for some of
the field events. I made the team for shotput and discus, and
I love both. It was so much fun to cheer on my teammates at
the meets, and they would cheer me on when I competed in my
events. I kept up with cross-country too. The past two years
on my middle school's girls' cross-country and track-and-
field teams have been the best of my life. My teammates and I
have the best time during practices and at cross-country and
track-

[[Page H1868]]

and-field meets. They support me even when I am not the
fastest or best on the team. I don't want to stop doing the
thing that I love and that is part of who I am. Sports are
everything to me and my cross-country and track-and-field
teams have become my second family over the last two years. I
have many more years of cross-country and track-and-field
left, and I just want the opportunity to participate in
school sports like any other girl.
H.R. 734 does nothing to address the real barriers facing
female student athletes. Instead, it targets a small, already
vulnerable group of people for further discrimination. The
ACLU strongly urges all Members to vote NO on H.R. 734.
Sincerely,
Christopher Anders,
Federal Policy Director.
Ian S. Thompson,
Senior Legislative Advocate.
____

The Leadership Conference

on Civil and Human Rights,

Washington, DC, March 27, 2023.

Oppose H.R. 734 To Protect Civil Rights

Dear Member of Congress: On behalf of The Leadership
Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by
its diverse membership of more than 230 national
organizations to promote and protect the civil and human
rights of all persons in the United States, and the 187
undersigned organizations, we call for the full inclusion,
protection, and celebration of transgender, nonbinary, and
intersex youth, including access to extracurricular
activities such as athletics and to school facilities, safe
and inclusive school environments, and accurate and inclusive
curriculum. We reject H.R. 734, the so-called Protection of
Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023, because it would harm
women and girls and undermine civil rights for all students.
This discriminatory proposal seeks to exclude transgender,
nonbinary, and intersex people from athletics programs in
schools. Although the authors of the legislation represent
themselves as serving the interests of cisgender girls and
women, this legislation does not address the longstanding
barriers all girls and women have faced in their pursuit of
athletics. Instead of providing for equal facilities,
equipment, and travel, or any other strategy that women
athletes have been pushing for for decades, the bill
cynically veils an attack on transgender people as a question
of athletics policy.
Youth sports often play a significant role in children's
lives and development, helping them to develop critical life
skills like communication, teamwork, and leadership. Sports
spaces are imperative for all young people, no matter their
gender. Transgender, nonbinary, and intersex youth want to
participate in team sports for the same reasons as their
cisgender peers: to be part of a team, learn sportsmanship,
and challenge themselves. School athletics are very often the
centerpiece of communities across the country, and denying
transgender, nonbinary, and intersex youth the chance to
participate only serves to deny them an opportunity to be
part of that community, further isolating and stigmatizing
these youth.
The civil and human rights community is no stranger to the
proffering of a bigoted agenda as if it were about equal
opportunity. We know about wolves in sheep's clothing. We
know that when affirmative action policies created to level
the playing field in higher education admissions are attacked
by opponents of voting rights, that their agenda is not about
the rights of people of color know that when companies profit
from poverty wages for disabled people, especially in
segregated work sites, that their agenda is not about
independence and self-determination for worker And we know
that when opponents of Title IX, those who have sought for
decades to weaken its protections and undermine its
enforcement, now present themselves as the law's champions,
that their agenda is not about the rights of women and girls.
Targeting and excluding transgender, nonbinary, and
intersex students from participation in school programming,
including athletics programs, alongside their cisgender peers
is harmful to all students and undermines the learning
environment for everyone. If schools mark some students
effectively as outcasts, they foster an environment where no
student is included and safe. H.R. 734's vague language and
intrusive focus on scrutiny of students' bodies will
effectively exclude girls and women with intersex variations
from participation, will invite scrutiny and harassment of
any other student perceived by anyone as not conforming to
sex stereotypes, and will likely be disproportionately used
to target girls and women of color. We support the full
inclusion and protection of transgender, nonbinary, and
intersex youth.
We are fortunate that transgender, nonbinary, and intersex
people are present in our community, and we fully embrace
them as members of our community. As organizations that care
deeply about ending sexbased discrimination and ensuring
equal educational opportunities, we support laws and policies
that protect transgender people from discrimination,
including full and equal participation in sports, access to
gender-affirming care, access to school facilities, and
access to inclusive curriculum. We firmly believe that an
attack on transgender youth is an attack on civil rights.
We ask all members of Congress to strongly oppose H.R. 734
and to reject attacks on transgender, nonbinary, and intersex
youth; to commit themselves to meaningfully advancing
policies that support equal opportunity; and to reassure all
students in the Nation's classrooms that they will have the
chance to learn, grow, and thrive. If you have any questions,
please reach out to Liz King, senior program director at The
Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
Sincerely,
National (116): The Leadership Conference on Civil and
Human Rights; Act To Change; Advocates for Youth; American
Association of University Women; American Atheists; American
Civil Liberties Union; American Federation of State, County
and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); American Federation of
Teachers; American Humanist Association; American School
Counselor Association; Asexual Visibility and Education
Network; Asian Americans Advancing Justice|AAJC; Athlete
Ally; Autistic Self Advocacy Network; Bazelon Center for
Mental Health Law; Campus Pride; Care in Action; Center for
American Progress; Center for Applied Transgender Studies.
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Center for LGBTQ
Economic Advancement & Research (CLEAR); CenterLink: The
Community of LGBT Centers; Children's Defense Fund;
Clearinghouse on Women's Issues; Collective Power for
Reproductive Justice; Community Catalyst; Disability Rights
Education & Defense Fund; EDGE Consulting Partners;
EducateUS: SIECUS In Action; Education Reform Now; Educators
for Excellence; End Rape On Campus; Equal Rights Advocates;
Equality Federation; Equity Forward; ERA Coalition;
Evaluation, Data Integration, and Technical Assistance (EDIT)
Program; Family Equality; Feminist Campus.
Feminist Majority Foundation; Fenway Institute; FORGE,
Inc.; Girls Inc.; GLAAD; GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders
(GLAD); GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality;
GLSEN; Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights; Human Rights
Campaign; Human Rights First; Ibis Reproductive Health; If/
When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice; Impact Fund;
interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth; Interfaith Alliance;
Japanese American Citizens League; Juvenile Law Center; Know
Your IX; Labor Council for Latin American Advancement.
Lambda Legal; League of United Latin American Citizens
(LULAC); Legal Momentum, the Women's Legal Defense and
Education Fund; LPAC Action Network; LULAC-IL; MALDEF
(Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund);
Matthew Shepard Foundation; MomsRising; Movement Advancement
Project; MoveOn; NAACP; National Black Justice Coalition;
National Center for Lesbian Rights; National Center for
Parent Leadership, Advocacy, and Community Empowerment
(National PLACE); National Center for Transgender Equality;
National Center for Youth Law; National Council of Jewish
Women; National Crittenton; National Disability Rights
Network (NORN); National Domestic Workers Alliance.
National Education Association; National Hispanic Media
Coalition; National LGBT Cancer Network; National
Organization for Women; National Recreation and Park
Association; National Urban League; National Women's Law
Center; Oregonizers; PFLAG National; Planned Parenthood
Federation of America; Plume Health; PowerOn, a program of
LGBT Tech; Public Citizen; Public Justice; Reproductive
Rights Coalition; Sexual Violence Prevention Association
(SVPA); SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change; Sikh American Legal
Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF); Stanton Ventures;
Supermajority.
The Advocates for Human Rights; The Education Trust; The
Sikh Coalition; The Trevor Project; TransAthlete; Transform
Together; Transgender Law Center; True Colors United; Trust
Women; Union for Reform Judaism; Unitarian Universalist
Association; United State of Women (USOW); VoteProChoice; We
Testify; Whole Woman's Health; Whole Woman's Health Alliance;
YWCA USA.
State/Local (72): Acadiana Queer Collective; Aces NYC;
Action Together New Jersey; Advocates for Children of New
York; African American Office of Gay Concerns; AIDS
Foundation Chicago; Arkansas Black Gay Men's Forum; Avow
Texas; Bans Off Miami; Central Florida Jobs with Justice;
Chicago Abortion Fund; Cobalt; Colorado Children's Campaign;
DC Abortion Fund; Democrats for Education Reform DC (DFER
DC); DFER Colorado; Disability Law Center; Dutchess County
Progressive Action Alliance; Education Law Center
Pennsylvania.
Education Reform Now Massachusetts; Education Reform Now
Texas; Equality California; Equality Florida; Equality
Illinois; Equality South Dakota; Equality Virginia; Equality
Maine; FL National Organization for Women; Florida Council of
Churches; Florida Health Justice Project; Gender Justice;
GLSEN New Mexico; Greater Orlando National Organization for
Women; Indivisible Coalition of Georgia; Indivisible DuPage;
Indivisible Miami; Jane's Due Process; JASMYN, Inc.; Joy as
Resistance.
Lafayette Citizens Against Censorship; Los Angeles LGBT
Center; Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship; Louisiana
Coalition for Reproductive Freedom; Louisiana Progress;
Louisiana Trans Advocates; Massachusetts Transgender
Political Coalition; Mazzoni

[[Page H1869]]

Center; Men Stopping Violence, Inc.; Missouri Health Care for
All; National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis; New Jersey
Safe Schools Coalition; New Orleans Youth Alliance; One
Colorado; OutFront Minnesota; OutNebraska; Pride Action Tank;
Pro Choice Missouri; Pro-Choice Connecticut; Pro-Choice North
Carolina.
Pro-Choice Ohio; Pro-Choice Washington; Progress Florida;
Project Butterfly New Orleans; Queer Nortshore; Reproductive
Freedom Acadiana; Silver State Equality-Nevada; SOMA Justice
of South Orange/Maplewood; St. Tammany Library Alliance; The
Parents' Place of MD; The Womxn Project; Virginia Coalition
of Latino Organizations; Youth Outlook.
____

GLSEN.

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries,
Washington, DC.
Dear Leader Jeffries: Thank you for your ongoing leadership
in combating the rise of discrimination against LGBTQ+
Americans. We appreciate the opportunity to share our
thoughts on H.R. 734, the Protection of Women and Girls in
Sports Act.
GLSEN is the leading national organization on LGBTQ+ issues
in K-12 education, working at the local, state, and national
level to transform education systems to improve conditions
for LGBTQ+ students across the United States.
GLSEN believes that every student has the right to a safe,
supportive, and LGBTQ-inclusive K-12 education, and works to
ensure that LGBTQ+ students are able to learn and grow in a
school environment free from bullying and harassment.
H.R. 734, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,
is designed specifically to attack students in the LGBTQ+
community, and opens the door for bullying and harassment.
This legislation prohibits transgender students from
participating in sports that align with their gender
identity, robbing them of their right to participate in
sports.
Participation in sports has positive effects on youth
development, such as improving physical health, social
skills, and psychological well-being. Additionally, research
has found that sports participation is related to greater
feelings of school belonging and pro-school behaviors. To
restrict which students can benefit from participation in
sports is to contribute to a hostile school environment that
further isolates and discriminates against transgender
students.
Policies that create social exclusion have been found to
have a negative impact on students' mental health. GLSEN's
2021 National School Climate Survey found that among those
who reported considering dropping out school, over half (51.5
percent) said it was due to hostile school climate created by
anti-LGBTQ+ policies, such as restrictions on their ability
to access sex-separated spaces. Further, students who
experienced anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination were nearly three
times as likely to have missed school in the past month as
those who had not (43.3 percent vs. 16.4 percent). These
students reported lower levels of self-esteem, higher levels
of depression, and were more than twice as likely to have
seriously considered suicide in the past year as compared to
students who did not experience these discriminatory
policies.
H.R. 734 targets the 41 percent of transgender youth who
have participated on at least one school sport team in the
past year. Removing students from their sports teams will
reinforce feelings of self-doubt, isolation, and a feeling
that they do not belong.
Rather than working to further entrench the mental health
problems faced by students, Congress should be acting to
support our children in schools. American families want to
enjoy time watching their children participate in their
favorite sports, not incite flames of hatred and exclusion.
GLSEN thanks you for your ongoing leadership and we are
happy to serve as a resource if you have any questions or
need additional information.
Sincerely,
Aaron Ridings,
Chief of Staff and Deputy Executive Director for Public
Policy and Research, GLSEN.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark), the Democratic whip.
Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for
yielding.
I am from Boston. If you want to talk about sports, I am all in. If
you want to talk about equality for women and girls, if you want to
talk about Title IX and ensuring fairness in sports, sign me up.
As far as kids in sports go, as a mom of three, I can't tell you how
many hours I have spent cheering on my kids. It is lacrosse,
basketball, and baseball. It has been soccer, rugby, cross-country, and
track. We have seen in my family championship teams through T-ball
teams where our entire goal was to just get the outfield to stop
digging for worms.
All of this is about kids and their experience, about learning,
growing, forming friendships, knowing what it means to work hard, to
practice, to see results, and to be a team.
I was very interested when this bill was filed to see what it was,
what the problem was that the NCAA in Massachusetts and across this
country, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association and its
counterparts around the country, the Olympics, the International Track
and Field Association, what they were missing. I read this bill, and
what they are missing is nothing.
This is not a problem in our communities, on our sports fields, for
our children. I think it was articulated so well by the Republican
Governor of Utah when he pointed out numbers that were important to his
decision to veto a similar bill: 75,000 kids play high school sports in
his State, just four of them are trans kids, and one of them plays
girls' sports.
Mr. Chair, 86 percent of our trans youth will have suicidal ideation,
and 56 percent will attempt suicide.
What are we doing here? What are we doing here as Members of
Congress?
As the Governor said, we are expending so much fear and division on
so few, on kids. Think about what we are doing as Members of the United
States House of Representatives.
I keep thinking about the mom who told me about her rural community
where her concern was the grief because they were losing their
children, losing them because there wasn't economic opportunity for
them in their hometown and losing them because they are dying of opioid
overdoses.
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 10 seconds to the
gentlewoman from Massachusetts.
Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chair, let's think about this. We
need to be working on the issues that matter to families and kids.
To make these children responsible for all of that and to incite
fear, discrimination, and hatred, you should hang your heads in shame.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, may I inquire as to how much time is
remaining.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from California has 4\1/4\ minutes
remaining.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I include in the Record a statement by the
National Parents Union in opposition to H.R. 734.

National Parents Union.

H.R. 734 bullies kids instead of teaching them to read.
It's time to get focused on what matters to American
families.
The National Parents Union continues to be frustrated with
the lack of focus from House and Education Workforce
Committee Leadership on issues that matter to American
Families. Families across the country want Congress to focus
on ensuring that every child is prepared for their future--
not bullying kids who want to play sports among their peers.
32 percent of our country's 4th graders were proficient
readers according to the National Assessment of Educational
Progress. That means that 7 out of 10 of our current 5th
graders cannot fully engage in their learning because they
cannot read the content.
Our latest national parent poll clearly states parent
priorities and nowhere to be found is anything about members
of their kids sports teams.
90 percent Believe students should have access to high-
quality, well rounded education with resources to support
their individual needs.
90 percent Believe that students should be prepared for
college and/or careers when they graduate.
90 percent Believe students should be protected from any
form of discrimination at school.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Scott), the ranking member of the full Committee on
Education and the Workforce.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chair, this bill is a mean-spirited attack
on transgender women's and girls' participation in sports.
It essentially requires women and girls to prove their gender. In
Kansas, where a similar bill was passed, students could be forced to
have invasive inspections of their body parts.
The bottom line is, we should let parents, doctors, and sports
organizations do their jobs to protect student athletes. For example,
the NCAA supports a sport-by-sport approach to

[[Page H1870]]

transgender student participation, and high school leagues are also
dealing with the issue.
We should focus our time on ensuring that children in America reach
their full potential through high-quality public education.
Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 734.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

{time} 1415

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
Vermont (Ms. Balint).
Ms. BALINT. Mr. Chair, I rise in the strongest opposition to H.R.
734.
This is one of the most powerful bodies in our Nation. We should be
using our influence and our power for good. We should be alleviating
the suffering of our constituents and not fanning the flames of fear
and enabling discrimination.
What upsets me the most about this bill is that it is devoid of
compassion for the kids who just want to live their lives.
I was honored yesterday to meet with Rebekah Bruesehoff. This
wonderful 16-year-old girl spoke about the incredibly positive impact
sports and community have in her young life. To Rebekah and trans kids
everywhere, there are allies in Congress who care deeply about you, and
we will continue to fight for your rights.
We should not be choosing to use the power of this institution to
attack young kids who just want to live their lives.
Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote for the motion to recommit so
that I can offer an amendment to protect student athletes' sexual
privacy and keep schools accountable when sexual abuse occurs.
Mr. Chair, I include in the Record the text of this amendment.
Ms. Balint moves to recommit the bill (H.R. 734) to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce with instructions to
report the bill back to the House forthwith with the
following amendment:
Strike the text of the bill and insert the following:

SECTION 1. AMENDMENTS TO TITLE IX OF THE EDUCATION AMENDMENTS
OF 1972.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C.
1681 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 901 by adding at end the following:
``(d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this title shall be
construed to limit or restrict a female athlete's right to
privacy over her personal reproductive or sexual health
Information.
``(e) Liability for Sex-based Harassment.--
``(1) Harassment by agents, employees, and other persons
authorized by the recipient to provide an athletic program or
activity.--Subject to subsection (f), a recipient shall be
liable if its agent, employee, or other person authorized by
the recipient to provide an athletic program or activity
under the recipient's program or activity, engages in sex-
based harassment against a person who participates in or
receives any benefit, service, or opportunity from such
program or activity, or who attempts to receive such benefit,
service, or opportunity, regardless of where the harassment
occurs, if--
``(A) the harassment is enabled or assisted by the
authority exercised as an agent, employee, or other
authorized person of the recipient; or
``(B) the recipient receives notice of the harassment.
``(2) Harassment by non-agents, non-employees, and other
non-authorized persons.--Subject to subsection (f), a
recipient is liable for sex-based harassment if a person who
is not its agent, employee, or other authorized person,
engages in sex-based harassment against a person who is
participating in an athletic program or activity, or who is
attempting to do so, regardless of where the harassment
occurs, if the recipient receives notice of the harassment.
``(f) Affirmative Defense.--
``(1) In general.--A recipient is not liable in a private
action for damages under subsection (e) for sex-based
harassment, if the recipient demonstrates that it exercised
reasonable care to prevent sex-based harassment and to
promptly remedy the effects of the sex-based harassment at
issue, including through a demonstration by the recipient
that it--
``(A) established, adequately publicized, and enforced an
effective and comprehensive sex-based harassment prevention
policy, training, and complaint procedure that is likely to
provide redress and to avoid harm without exposing the person
subjected to such harassment to undue risk, effort, or
expense;
``(B) if requested by an aggrieved person subjected to sex-
based harassment (or the parent or guardian of such person,
if such person is a minor), or otherwise necessary to protect
such person or other persons in such program or activity from
a significant ongoing threat of harm, undertook a prompt,
thorough, and impartial investigation of such harassment;
``(C) provided supportive measures that have the purpose
and effect of preserving and restoring a person subjected to
sex-based harassment's equal access to the recipient's
education program or activity (including any athletic program
or activity), regardless of whether such person requests an
investigation; and
``(D) took other necessary, immediate, and appropriate
corrective action designed to stop such harassment and remedy
its effects.
``(2) Not establishing reasonable care.--A showing that the
harassment did not recur after the recipient received notice
of the harassment does not establish reasonable care absent
the demonstration required by subparagraphs (A) through (D)
of paragraph (1).
``(g) Notice.--A recipient receives notice of sex-based
harassment if an agent, employee, or other authorized person
of the recipient, or in the exercise of reasonable care
should have known, about the harassment and--
``(1) has the authority to take action to redress the
harassment;
``(2) has the responsibility to report to an administrator
harassment or similar misconduct by others; or
``(3) receives a report of such harassment from an
individual who could reasonably believe that the agent,
employee, or other authorized person is as described in
paragraph (1) or (2).''; and
(2) in section 903--
(A) in the 1st sentence by inserting ``(a)'' before
``Any''; and
(B) by adding at the end of the following:
``(b) Any person aggrieved by the failure of a recipient to
comply with section 901, or a rule issued under this title,
may bring a civil action in any court of competent
jurisdiction.
``(c) In a civil action brought for a violation of section
901 by or on behalf of a person aggrieved by a violation of
section 901, such person may recover equitable and legal
relief (such as compensatory damages, including for emotional
distress, and punitive damages), and attorney's fees
(including expert fees).''.

The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired. The
gentlewoman is no longer recognized.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time, and I am ready
to close whenever the gentleman from California is ready to close.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas
(Ms. Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I too had the opportunity yesterday to
engage with Rebekah and her mother, and I want to just point to a stark
reality.
Mr. Chair, 53 percent of trans kids considered suicide last year. I
am glad that the Governor of Utah, in a very lengthy letter, said: I
want them to live. What Rebekah said is that she loves playing sports.
She gets to know people, and they know her.
She said the talk that we are doing on the floor of the House is
scary. It puts trans children--children in corners. They don't know who
likes them or not or who wants to do harm to them.
This is a meaningless bill. The Olympics has addressed the question.
The NCAA has addressed the question.
When will we realize we have the right to freedom of religion and we
have a right to our beliefs, and in that we have no right to undermine
and threaten the lives of trans children.
Mr. Chair, I stand in opposition to this mean-spirited legislation
because I am a woman of faith, and I believe in the humanity of all
children.
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired. The
gentlewoman is no longer recognized.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chair, fundamentally, the difference between the two sides is
that my friends on the other side of the aisle do not recognize trans
people as human beings. They do not even recognize the validity of
trans. That is a terrible error, and it is wrong, and it does not grant
trans people humanity.
A subsequent corollary to this stance is that they don't believe that
trans people are who they are, that somehow it is a choice. I am going
to tell you: This debate itself has been traumatizing.
I can remember when I was a teenager when debate in California was
occurring over the Briggs Initiative, which would have banned LGBT
teachers from teaching. One Republican Governor, Ronald Reagan, at the
last minute opposed the initiative, and to me that meant a lot. It
means a lot to me that Spencer Cox of Utah recognizes that trans kids
exist and that we

[[Page H1871]]

should protect them. This bill is horrible. All should stand opposed to
it.
Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chair, I have spoken to the absurdity of this debate, but let me
conclude by clarifying what this bill does and does not do by reading
two paragraphs of this bill--it is one page long.
``Section 901 of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(d)(1) It shall be a violation of subsection (a) for a recipient of
Federal funds who operates, sponsors, or facilitates athletic programs
or activities to permit a person whose sex is male to participate in an
athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls.
``(2) For the purposes of this subsection, sex shall be recognized
based solely on a person's reproductive biology and genetics at
birth.''
All of these ridiculous things that we have been accused of are not
in this bill. This bill does not discriminate against anyone. It does
not exhibit any hate toward anyone.
What it does is prohibit Federal funding to institutions that
``permit a person whose sex is male to participate in an athletic
program or activity that is designated for women or girls.''
The reason for this is simple. Men have certain physiological
advantages over women, such as more size and speed. Because of that,
allowing biological males to compete against women and girls robs
females of equal athletic opportunities and fair playing fields.
H.R. 734 restores the integrity and fairness of women's sports.
Mr. Chairman, Republicans, contrary to what our colleagues have said
and accused us of, Republicans love all God's children, male and
female, born and unborn. Do not question our commitment to fairness to
life or to treating people equally. We hate no one.
As my colleagues have pointed out, it is ridiculous that we have had
to stand here today to defend the rights of women and girls to
participate in sports against other women and girls and they not being
taken advantage of by biological males.
Mr. Chair, I encourage my colleagues across the aisle to do what is
best for America's women and girls and support this important bill.
Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I include in the Record a Statement of
Administration Policy from the administration.

Statement of Administration Policy

h.r. 734--protection of women and girls in sports act of 2023--rep.
steube, R-fl, and 93 cosponsors

The Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R.
734.
For students nationwide, participating in sports and being
part of a team is an important part of growing up, staying
engaged in school, and learning leadership and life skills.
H.R. 734 would deny access to sports for many families by
establishing an absolute ban on transgender students--even
those as young as elementary schoolers--playing on a team
consistent with their gender identity. Schools, coaches, and
athletic associations around the country are already working
with families to develop participation rules that are fair
and that take into account particular sports, grade levels,
and levels of competition. As a national ban that does not
account for competitiveness or grade level, H.R. 734 targets
people for who they are and therefore is discriminatory.
Politicians should not dictate a one-size-fits-all
requirement that forces coaches to remove kids from their
teams. At a time when transgender youth already face a
nationwide mental health crisis, with half of transgender
youth in a recent survey saying they have seriously
considered suicide, a national law that further stigmatizes
these children is completely unnecessary, hurts families and
students, and would only put students at greater risk.
Discrimination has no place in our nation's schools or on our
playing fields.
Instead of addressing the pressing issues that families and
students face today--such as raising teacher pay, keeping
guns out of schools, addressing the mental health crisis our
youth face, and helping students learn and recover
academically from unprecedented disruptions--Congressional
Republicans have instead chosen to prioritize policies that
discriminate against children.
If the President were presented with H.R. 734, he would
veto it.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong opposition
to this cruel and discriminatory bill. If Republicans really meant to
protect women and girls in sports, they would make it so more women and
girls could play, not play politics with children's lives.
I submitted an amendment to award federal grants to start new school
sports teams for women and girls and to break down existing barriers to
participation.
My amendment invested in women's sports so more people could play,
more people could participate, but Republicans chose politics over
participation. There are real problems impacting women and girls in
sports, including pay inequality, sexual harassment and assault, and
unequal facilities and resources. This legislation addresses none of
these issues.
Instead, we will be voting on a horrific bill to nationalize the
cruel bigotry Republicans are implementing in states around the
country.
This bill will harm our kids' mental health. make our schools less
welcoming, and prevent trans students from living the full lives they
deserve.
I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.
Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chair, I am in strong support of H.R. 734, the
Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which I am proud to
cosponsor. I thank the Congressman from Florida, Mr. Steube, for his
leadership on this effort.
Over 50 years ago, Title IX was enacted to level the playing field,
and ensure that women and girls were given fair opportunities to
participate, perform, and achieve in education. One of the primary
areas that has been impacted by this law is in the area of women's
sports. Since then, female participation in sports has increased by
1,057 percent at the high school level, and 614 percent at the
postsecondary level.
Women and girls deserve the confidence of stepping up to the plate,
onto a field, into a court, or on a track, knowing that the competition
will be rule-bound and fair and that their safety has been prioritized.
They deserve to have confidence that they are fairly competing against
another biological woman.
And most of all, they deserve the chance to be champions.
The actions of the Biden Administration have entirely sacrificed
equality in the service of their political agenda; and today I hope my
colleagues will join me in voting in favor of this legislation, and
restoring the soul of Title IX, that has given so many women and girls
life-changing opportunities.
The Acting CHAIR (Mr. LaMalfa). All time for general debate has
expired.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.
The motion was agreed to.
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr.
DesJarlais) having assumed the chair, Mr. LaMalfa, Acting Chair of the
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 734) to
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, had come to no resolution thereon.

____________________