The Senate filibuster of a Republican-led bill that would prevent boys from taking part in sports for girls failed on Monday evening after failing to reach the 60 votes needed to pass.
A vote along party lines of 51-45 failed to pass the bill’s key procedural obstacle. The motion to proceed was defeated by all Democratic Senators, except for those absent. Elissa slotkin, D.-Mich. and Peter Welch D.-Vt. were absent.
The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act requires Title IX that gender be “recognized solely based on a person’s reproductive biology and genes at birth” and disallows any adjustments for it to relate to gender identity.
This bill, sponsored by Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), has more than 40 sponsors in the Senate. The bill would codify many of Trump’s recent executive orders and give the policy a longer shelf life.
Trump’s Executive Order entitled “Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports” was issued last month.
It read: “It is also the policy of the United States that males will not compete in women’s sport, more generally, for reasons of safety, justice, dignity and truth.”
The White House stated in a press release shared by Tuberville’s office before the vote on Monday that “the Administration strongly supports the passage of S. 9 – the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025.”
The statement stated that “through an amendment to Title IX of Education Amendments of 1973, this bill expressly recognized what is already federal legislation–that it’s an illegal act of racism for a male to participate in an athletic program or an activity federally-funded and designated for girls or women.”
This bill recognizes, as well, that the term ‘sex” used by law is solely based on reproduction biology and genetics,” continued it. Men participating in women’s sports is not only demeaning to girls and women, it also undermines our nation’s civil rights laws. The affirmative vote of Congress on this bill will complement federal court rulings as well as President Trump’s Executive Order ‘Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports’, which was issued February 5, 2025.
Tuberville has worked on the bill for years. He first introduced it under President Joe Biden, when there was no executive order of this kind.
The measure, like the executive order, would prohibit federal funds from being used for sports that permit biological men to play women’s or girls’ sports.
The future of female athletes, who have worked extremely hard in the sport and are trained to be competitive with biological men, should not be hindered by this. Bill Cassidy, R. Louisiana, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, said that instead of standing up to Joe Biden, Democrats voted in support of his attempt at attacking Title IX. I will work with President Trump and my Republican colleagues to protect Title IX and ensure that every girl and woman has the opportunity to succeed.
Bill and Executive Order are a response to growing concern about transgender men and boys participating and even winning events on girls and women teams.
Tuberville reintroduced a bill to the 119th Congress in January and argued that President Trump had won the battle of saving women’s sports overwhelmingly. Men don’t belong on the field of women’s sport or in locker rooms, according to 70% of Americans. I’ve said it many times: Title IX was one of Washington’s best ideas. “But in the past few years, it’s been destroyed.”
“While I am glad the Biden Administration subsequently rescinded this proposed rule, Congress must ensure that it never occurs again. This spring, I will be welcoming my first grandchild, and I won’t give up until she is protected from unfair competition. “I hope all of my colleagues join me to stand up for daughters, nieces, and granddaughters who are voting in favor of this important bill.”
The early March voting was anticipated by Senate majority leader John Thune (R-SD). At that time, Thune had indicated his intention to push forward Tuberville’s bill.
Senate is considering the bill as Democrats face an identity crisis. Many point to the unpopular positions of candidates in support of transgender women participating in sports.
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) received criticism from his party last year after saying, in an interview: “Democrats spend far too much time trying to not offend anybody rather than brutally honesty about many Americans’ challenges.”
“I don’t think I should be ashamed to tell the New York Times that I have two little girls.
Moulton’s campaign manager quit shortly after his comments. He also faced criticism.
