Washington, DC—January 14, 2025…Today, Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) voted to support H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation protects women’s and girls’ safety and ensures equal access to opportunity by banning a person whose biological sex at birth was male from participating in a school’s athletic program or activity that is designated for females.
Congressman Womack said, “Standing up for female athletes is very important to me. I grew up with four sisters—one of whom became an All-American—coached female teams and have been a follower of women’s sports my entire life. I’m also proud to represent a district that’s rich in history of competitive female sports. It’s incomprehensible that we’re even having this conversation. There’s no disputing the fact that in most sports, biological males have a distinct, undeniable advantage over females. To deprive a female athlete of her hard-earned roster spot in the name of political correctness is backward and wrong.”
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Title IX prevents discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal funding and is intended to provide women and girls with equal educational opportunities. Last year, the Biden Administration released a rule amending Title IX that would eliminate a state’s ability to comprehensively protect women and girls from discrimination in athletics. Last week, a federal judge struck down the Biden Administration’s rule. This legislation ensures no future Democrat Administration or activist judge can force these misguided policies on the American people.
To date, 26 states have enacted policies to protect equal athletic opportunities for women and girls. Immediate action is necessary to prevent confusion about the circumstances under which states, schools, and institutions can protect the integrity of women’s athletic competitions.
H.R. 28 clarifies that a recipient of federal education funding violates Title IX’s prohibition against sex discrimination if the recipient operates, sponsors, or facilitates athletic programs or activities that allow a person whose sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls. Sex in the athletic context must be recognized based only on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.
