Blackburn, Tuberville Introduce Hallmark Legislation to Preserve Title IX , Protect Women’s Sports

"The attempted Biden-Harris overhaul of Title IX protections was a slap in the face to women and girls across the United States," said Senator Blackburn. "This commonsense legislation would make absolutely certain that any school who allows biological men to share private spaces with women loses public funding."

"President Trump ran on the issue of saving women's sports and won in a landslide," said Senator Tuberville. "70% of Americans agree-men don't belong in women's sports or locker rooms. I have said many times that I think Title IX is one of the best things to come out of Washington. But in the last few years, it has been destroyed. While I'm glad that the Biden administration ultimately rescinded the proposed rule, Congress has to ensure this never happens again. I am welcoming my first granddaughter this spring and won't stop fighting until her rights to fairly compete are protected. I hope every one of my colleagues will join me in standing up for our daughters, nieces, and granddaughters by voting for this critical bill."

BACKGROUND:

• In June 2022, on the 50th anniversary of Title IX's enactment, the Biden-Harris Education Department issued a proposed rule to allow biological males to compete in women's sports.

• Despite receiving nearly 240,000 comments in opposition to the proposed rule, the Education Department ignored every single one and published the final Title IX rule in April 2024.

• On December 20, 2024, after Vice President Kamala Harris lost in a landslide election to President Trump, President Biden quietly rescinded the proposed rule.

• In a letter, Senator Blackburn urged U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to keep Title IX protections for women and children in place and cited her concern about the negative implications the Biden administration's rule would have for female athletes.

• Senator Blackburn also led the charge to recognize October 10 as "American Girls in Sports Day" in response to the Biden-Harris Title IX overhaul. Senate Democrats blocked this effort.

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.

• This legislation is also co-sponsored by Senators Jim Banks (R-Ind.), John Barasso (R-Wyo.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cindy Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

ENDORSEMENTS:

• The legislation is endorsed by Independent Women's Voice, Concerned Women for America, Heritage Action for America, and Family Policy Alliance.

Read full text of bill here.