WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) issued a statement after the Biden administration’s Department of Education published a final rule, which impacts Title IX and women and girls across the country. The Department of Education is working on a separate effort to allow biological men to compete in women’s sports. The Title IX ruling that was published today does not directly address athletic programs.
“Today, the Biden administration redefined the definition of a ‘woman,’” said Senator Tuberville. “When the Department of Education proposed changes to Title IX back in summer of 2022, I immediately raised concerns about the negative impacts it would have on women and girls. The final rule published today requires schools to allow biological boys to participate in activities and clubs designated for girls. This is a slap in the face to women and girls everywhere and undoes fifty years of Title IX progress.
Joe Biden and his administration believe that anyone who identifies as a woman IS a woman – and should enjoy the protections intended for biological women and girls. This means that biological women now have zero safe spaces and no real identity. Women and girls deserve so much better.
Try as he might, Joe Biden doesn’t get to tell us what a woman is. I hope every woman, parent, student-athlete, teacher, and coach will join me in sending a loud and clear message to Joe Biden: you can’t erase women, and you can’t erase Title IX. I strongly condemn President Biden and his administration and will work with my colleagues to fight this to the full extent of my authority as a United States Senator.”
BACKGROUND:
As a former educator, mentor, and coach for more than 40 years, Senator Tuberville is concerned about preserving Title IX for women and girls everywhere. He began his career coaching high school girls’ basketball shortly after the enactment of Title IX, and witnessed the law’s positive impacts firsthand.
In June 2022, on the 50th anniversary of Title IX’s enactment, the U.S. Department of Education issued a proposed rule to allow biological males to compete in women’s sports. Sen. Tuberville urged Joe Biden’s Department of Education officials to keep the protections in place and cited his concern about the negative implications it would cause for female athletes.
In March, Senator Tuberville forced a vote on an amendment that would protect female athletes by keeping men out of women’s sports – 51 Democrats voted to block the amendment from proceeding. Sen. Tuberville originally introduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act in 2022, but Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has refused to bring it to the floor for a vote. Sen. Tuberville put 51 Democrats on record voting against protecting women’s sports.
In March, Sen. Tuberville and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) sent a letter to the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) seeking more information on its policies related to transgender athletes and asking if the NCAA has ever taken action against violations of these policies.
Also in March, Sen. Tuberville hosted a roundtable with former NCAA athletes, parents, and coaches to discuss the importance of saving women’s sports. Former host of SportsCenter, Sage Steele, moderated the discussion and Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) also joined. Sen. Tuberville and Sage Steele also penned an op-ed recapping the roundtable.
In February, Sen. Tuberville introduced a bill to ban men from competing in women’s U.S. Olympic sports. Sen. Tuberville’s bill came after USA Boxing announced it would allow men to box against women.
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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