Yesterday, Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced the Protecting Women and Girls in Sports Act, legislation which would clarify that athletics-related provisions in Title IX apply to biological sex and would withdraw Title IX funding from any institution which allows biological males to participate in women’s sports. The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.).
The legislation comes in response to a recent Biden administration executive order which called for policy changes allowing biological male athletes to compete as women. Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) has introduced a similar bill in the House which would also protect women’s sports in law.
In response, Terry Schilling, executive director of American Principles Project, released the following statement endorsing Sen. Lee’s legislation:
“On January 20, with one stroke of a pen, Joe Biden threatened to undo nearly five decades of advances for female athletes in the U.S. Now, women’s and girls’ rights to equal opportunities in sports are in greater danger than anytime in recent history.
“Fortunately, Senator Mike Lee and other courageous leaders have stepped forward in Congress to defend women’s sports. Sen. Lee’s bill would quite literally save Title IX from destruction and preserve a fair playing field for female athletes nationwide.
“Signing onto this legislation ought to be a no-brainer, not just for every Republican lawmaker but also for Democrats as well. APP strongly supports the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, and we urge the Senate to pass it immediately.”
