House Passes Tuberville Bill to Save Title IX, Women’s Sports

The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act would ban biological males from competing against female athletes

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act yesterday to preserve Title IX protections for female athletes and ensure fair, safe competition in women’s sports across the country. In March, Senator Tuberville led 26 Republican colleagues in reintroducing the U.S. Senate’s version of the legislation. Senator Tuberville’s legislation would counteract the Biden administration’s plans to finalize rules that will force institutions to allow biological males to share spaces with females and compete in women’s sports.

The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-FL-17). While the U.S. House has passed the bill, it must also pass in the Senate. The decision to consider Senator Tuberville’s legislation in the Senate lies with Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). When introducing the bill in the Senate, Senator Tuberville said:

“Throughout my coaching career, I saw the incomparable success of Title IX and the educational and personal opportunities sports have provided to millions of female athletes.For more than 50 years, this law has empowered young women to grow personally, compete professionally, and receive scholarships to further their education. The positive impacts of a fair playing field in women’s sports are unmatched, but the Biden administration is forcing female athletes to the sidelines by allowing biological males to compete where they do not belong. It’s unfair, it’s unsafe, and it’s wrong. We cannot stand by and let girls and women in sports lose to the radical left’s agenda.”

On April 6, 2023, the U.S. Department of Education followed through with its plans to distort Title IX protections and released the rule coercing schools to allow biological males to compete in women’s sports. As ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Children and Families, Senator Tuberville condemned the rule, saying:

“The Biden administration’s policies have already taken a sledgehammer to Title IX, and this proposed rule is another example of Joe Biden doing the bidding of the radical left. This new rule is a disservice to every girl in this country who dreams of becoming a student athlete. I urge the Biden administration to listen to parents, teachers, and coaches, and not to follow through with these misguided policies. Our colleagues in Congress will have to consider every option available to nullify this harmful new rule, including passing my legislation, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.”

Specifically, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act:

Ensures Title IX provisions treat gender as “recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.”
Bans recipients of federal funding from operating, sponsoring, or facilitating athletic programs that permit a male to participate in a women’s sporting event.

The legislation is endorsed by Independent Women’s Voice, Concerned Women for America, and Heritage Action for America.

“More than 50 years ago, Congress enacted Title IX to ensure equal opportunity in all aspects of education, including athletics,” said Carrie Lukas, vice president at Independent Women’s Voice. “But without single-sex teams and single-sex competition, equal athletic opportunity is but a farce. Forcing female athletes to compete against biological males is unfair. But it’s also discriminatory. Allowing biological males to take awards, roster spots, scholarships, or spots at a school from female athletes violates Title IX’s prohibition of discrimination ‘on the basis of sex.’ The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act will help preserve equal athletic opportunity for both sexes. IWV is thankful for Senator Tuberville’s leadership on this important issue.”

“We have championed the cause of a fair playing field for female athletes for years,” said Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, the nation’s largest women’s policy organization. “Understanding the importance of sports, Coach Tommy Tuberville has proven to be leader on the issue. It’s time forCongress to stop injustice and discrimination against female student athletes in their own sports. Our Young Women for America leaders have experienced the embarrassment of competing against men and are fighting this battle on their college campuses. Passing the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act is a top priority. Never again should female athletes lose their trophies, their scholarships and their dignity to males.”

“By ignoring the biological differences between men and women and forcing women to compete against men in sports, the Left is threatening to limit women’s opportunities on and off the field,” said Jessica Anderson, executive director of Heritage Action for America. “The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act protects women’s physical safety and scholarship opportunities by making it illegal for a recipient of federal funds who operates, sponsors, or facilitates athletic programs to allow men to participate in women’s athletic teams or programs. Heritage Action supports the passage of this essential legislation and thanks Senator Tuberville for leading the fight in the Senate to protect women’s safety, privacy, and opportunities.”

BACKGROUND

Last year, on the 50^th anniversary of Title IX’s enactment, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued a proposed rule to allow biological males to compete in women’s sports. Senator Tuberville offered a public comment to the proposed rule, citing his concern about the negative implications it would cause for female athletes. The department proceeded forward with its decision to finalize the rule, which is now expected to be published in May of this year. It is expected that the rule will take effect during the 2023-2024 school year.

As a former educator, mentor, and coach for more than 40 years, Senator Tuberville is concerned about the future of girls’ and women’s sports. He began his career coaching high school girls’ basketball shortly after the enactment of Title IX, and witnessed the law’s positive impacts firsthand. Senator Tuberville has been a vocal advocate of preserving Title IX and urged ED officials to keep the protections in place. More information about the Senator’s efforts regarding Title IX can be found below.

NEWSNATION: Tuberville bill would bar ‘biological male’ athletes from girls sports
NATIONAL REVIEW: Female Athletes Are Losing to the Radical Left
WASHINGTON EXAMINER: Tuberville bill would defund women’s sports programs that allow biological men
FOX & FRIENDS: Senator Tuberville joins Fox and Friends to discuss the 50th Anniversary of Inflation and Title IX
FOX & FRIENDS: Tuberville Calls for Fairness in Women’s Sports
DAILY WIRE: Ahead of 50^th Anniversary of Title IX, Senator Tuberville Warns Biden Admin is Hacking Away at Women’s Progress
DAILY WIRE: Senator Tuberville: Biden Title IX Modifications Will Destroy ‘Opportunities For Generations Of Women And Girls’
WASHINGTON EXAMINER: Biden executive order will ruin women’s sports and erode Title IX
DAILY CALLER: Dr. Ben Carson, Sen. Tuberville Break Down Why They Think Trans Athletes Shouldn’t Compete In Women’s Sports
AL.COM: U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville says Biden administration pushing women to the sidelines

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.

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