Republican lawmakers are working to advance the 'Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act'

The United States House of Representatives may soon vote on a bill that would protect female athletes from competing against men.

Republican lawmakers are petitioning to discharge the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act from the Committee on Education and Labor, where it has resided since its referral in Jan. 2021.

A discharge would allow for the bill to be moved from committee to the House floor for consideration.

Republican Study Committee Chairman and U.S Representative Jim Banks (R- IN) and bill sponsor Representative Greg Steube (R-FL) are leading the fight to advance the bill. 

The bill would require 218 members of Congress to sign on approval for it to be advanced.

”By refusing to allow a vote on protecting women’s sports, Speaker Pelosi is enabling Congress to evade this critical and timely issue facing students across the country. Tonight, Republicans filed a discharge petition to force my bill, The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act onto the House floor,” Steube said in a press release following the Apr. 26 petition. 

He continued, “Instead of paying lip service to women, I hope my colleagues across the aisle will actually do something for women and girls by signing onto this petition. As the left perpetuates a craze to eliminate gender, the American people deserve to know where their elected representatives stand on protecting women’s sports.”

[RELATED: WATCH: Title IX protects women. Keep it that way.]

As of Wednesday, 71 representatives have signed the petition in support of the motion. In addition to Banks and Steube, the earliest signatories were Glenn Thompson (R-PA), August Pfluger (R- TX), Vicky Hartzler (R- MO), Mary E. Miller (R- IL), Lauren Boebert (R- CO), and Kat Cammack (R- FL) are named on the file.

Steube introduced the bill on Jan. 21 last year in an effort to take national action to reinforce Title IX protections for women’s opportunities.

The bill mandates that “sex shall be recognized solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth” to comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

If enacted, the bill would amend Section 901 of the Education Amendments of 1972 by including:

“(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.”

The discharge petition comes as the Department of Education threatens to change the language of Title IX to include gender identity as a protected class against discrimination.

As Campus Reform has previously reported, the changes are expected to be finalized by the end of April. No such update has occurred.

The discharge has been supported by conservative think tanks and organizations. 

The Republican Study Committee, which is the largest coalition of conservative lawmakers, announced support for the bill on Apr. 22 according to The Daily Wire.

“The Republican Study Committee formally endorses H.R. 426, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, introduced by Rep. Greg Steube, to bar schools that accept federal funds from letting biological males compete against biological females in athletic events designated for women or girls,”  the committee stated.

Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee issued a press release the same day applauding the committee for taking action to protect Title IX.

”After 50 years of progress for women and girls, Congress must step in and save Title IX from doom. What’s happening in women’s sports today under the NCAA and Biden Administration defies science and common sense and is an affront to every female athlete in America,” said CEO and President of CWALAC Penny Nace said. “This radical agenda to obliterate the enduring differences between the sexes is draconian and erases women’s inherent dignity and status under the law.”

She continued, “This issue is nonpartisan. Our daughters deserve better. We thank the RSC for its plan to file a discharge petition and urge the House to act swiftly to pass the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.” 

As reported by Campus Reform, CWA filed a Title IX complaint against University of Pennsylvania after transgender swimmer Lia Thomas won a national title at the 2022 NCAA Women’s Division I Swimming Championship in March.

[RELATED: WATCH: Students support diversity quotas...until it comes to football]

“No school should be able to force female athletes to compete against biological males identifying as girls or displace female athletes from sports designated for women and girls,” Nace said in the statement. “That’s why CWA has filed civil rights complaints against several of these institutions—including the University of Pennsylvania—and has endorsed efforts by Congress urging the NCAA and the Biden Administration to stand down from undermining women’s sports.” 

Heritage Action for America has also encouraged members of Congress to co-sponsor the bill in addition to signing the petition.

Executive Director of Heritage Action Jessica Anderson said, “Allowing men to compete in women’s sports is dangerous, unfair, and highly illogical. Women should have the right to compete on a level playing field and shouldn’t have to sacrifice their athletic careers at the alter of transgender rights.”

She continued, “While the current Administration has irresponsibly denied women this right, we applaud Congressman Steube for introducing legislation to rectify this situation and we encourage members to take action by cosponsoring the bill and signing the discharge petition.”  

Campus Reform has contacted every individual and organization for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.