WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

H.R. 28 · 119th Congress

Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025

Passed HouseCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
IntroducedJan 3, 2025
Passed HouseJan 14, 2025
Passed SenateNot yet
To PresidentNot yet
Became lawNot yet

Where it stands

Passed House. Latest step, Jan 15, 2025: Received in the Senate. The House passed it 218–206. From Iowa: Randy Feenstra and Zachary Nunn cosponsor it. All 4 of Iowa's representatives voted yes in the House. It would change 1 section of existing law.

How this bill changes the law

Sourced

H.R. 28 would change 1 section of existing law. Read from the bill text as passed by the House (Jan 14, 2025).

20 U.S.C. 1681 Sex

What the words would change: every change, in place (1)

Today's wording of each part of the law, with what would be struck out and added. Each change also gives the bill's own instruction, word for word.

  1. 20 U.S.C. 1681added (d)by H.R. 28 Sec. 2

    (d)(1) It shall be a violation of subsection (a) for a recipient of Federal financial assistance 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.(2) For the purposes of this subsection, sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.(3) For the purposes of this subsection, the term "athletic programs and activities" includes, but is not limited to, all programs or activities that are provided conditional upon participation with any athletic team.(4) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit a recipient from permitting males to train or practice with an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls so long as no female is deprived of a roster spot on a team or sport, opportunity to participate in a practice or competition, scholarship, admission to an educational institution, or any other benefit that accompanies participating in the athletic program or activity.(e) The Comptroller General shall carry out a study to determine the meaning of the phrase ‘any other benefit’ as used in subsection (d)(4) by looking at benefits to women or girls of participating in single sex sports that would be lost by allowing males to participate. The study shall document the adverse psychological, developmental, participatory, and sociological results to girls of allowing males to compete, be members of a sports team, or participants in athletic programs, that are designed for girls, including displacement or discouragement from sports participation, deprivation of a roster spot on a team or sport, loss of the opportunity to participate in a practice or competition, loss of a scholarship or scholarship opportunities, loss or displacement of admission to an educational institution, deprivation of the benefit of an environment free of hostility based on sexual assault or harassment, or any other benefit that accompanies participating in the athletics program or activity. Further, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report that contains the results of such study.

    The bill says: Section 901 of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681) is amended by adding at the end the following:

From the bill's official text on GovInfo and the U.S. Code, 2024 edition, which may not yet show changes made since.

What it does

Sourced

Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025

This bill generally prohibits school athletic programs from allowing individuals whose biological sex at birth was male to participate in programs that are for women or girls.

Specifically, the bill provides that it is a violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 for federally funded education programs or activities to operate, sponsor, or facilitate athletic programs or activities that allow individuals of the male sex to participate in programs or activities that are designated for women or girls. (Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs or activities, including in public elementary and secondary schools and in colleges and universities.) Under the bill, sex is based on an individual's reproductive biology and genetics at birth.

The bill does not prohibit male individuals from training or practicing with programs or activities for women or girls as long as such training or practice does not deprive any female of corresponding opportunities or benefits.

The Government Accountability Office must report on the benefits for women or girls in single-sex sports that would be lost as a result of male participation. In particular, the report must document the negative psychological, developmental, participatory, and sociological effects of male participation on girls.

Official summary by the Congressional Research Service (Introduced in House, Jan 3, 2025).

Our plain-language breakdown, with what it means for you and the case for and against, is written once a bill starts to move.

What has happened

Sourced
  1. Jan 14, 2025Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 206, 1 Present (Roll no. 12). (text: CR H126) Roll call recordLibrary of Congress
  2. Jan 3, 2025Introduced in HouseLibrary of Congress

Show all 15 recorded actions

Recorded votes

Sourced
  1. Jan 14, 2025 · HousePassed 218–206
    On Passage · needed a majority
    R 216 yes, 0 noD 2 yes, 206 noEach member · Record
1 other recorded vote (procedure and amendments)
  1. Jan 14, 2025 · HouseFailed 208–218
    On Motion to Recommit · needed a majority
    R 0 yes, 217 noD 208 yes, 1 noEach member · Record

Cosponsors

From Iowa

Everyone else (81)

  • Robert B. Aderholt R-AL-4
  • Rick W. Allen R-GA-12
  • Jodey C. Arrington R-TX-19
  • Brian Babin R-TX-36
  • Andy Barr R-KY-6
  • Aaron Bean R-FL-4
  • Andy Biggs R-AZ-5
  • Sheri Biggs R-SC-3
  • Gus M. Bilirakis R-FL-12
  • Mike Bost R-IL-12
  • Josh Brecheen R-OK-2
  • Vern Buchanan R-FL-16
Show 69 more cosponsors
  • Eric Burlison R-MO-7
  • Kat Cammack R-FL-3
  • Earl L. "Buddy" Carter R-GA-1
  • Juan Ciscomani R-AZ-6
  • Ben Cline R-VA-6
  • James Comer R-KY-1
  • Jeff Crank R-CO-5
  • Dan Crenshaw R-TX-2
  • Warren Davidson R-OH-8
  • Monica De La Cruz R-TX-15
  • Troy Downing R-MT-2
  • Neal P. Dunn R-FL-2
  • Jake Ellzey R-TX-6
  • Ron Estes R-KS-4
  • Mike Ezell R-MS-4
  • Brad Finstad R-MN-1
  • Scott Fitzgerald R-WI-5
  • Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann R-TN-3
  • Virginia Foxx R-NC-5
  • Scott Franklin R-FL-18
  • Russ Fulcher R-ID-1
  • Brandon Gill R-TX-26
  • Craig A. Goldman R-TX-12
  • Rep. Tony Gonzales R-TX-23
  • Lance Gooden R-TX-5
  • Rep. Mark E. Green R-TN-7
  • H. Morgan Griffith R-VA-9
  • Glenn Grothman R-WI-6
  • Michael Guest R-MS-3
  • Brett Guthrie R-KY-2
  • Harriet M. Hageman R-WY-At Large
  • Mark Harris R-NC-8
  • Kevin Hern R-OK-1
  • Clay Higgins R-LA-3
  • Erin Houchin R-IN-9
  • Richard Hudson R-NC-9
  • Bill Huizenga R-MI-4
  • Dusty Johnson R-SD-At Large
  • Trent Kelly R-MS-1
  • David Kustoff R-TN-8
  • Nick LaLota R-NY-1
  • Nancy Mace R-SC-1
  • Lisa C. McClain R-MI-9
  • Richard McCormick R-GA-7
  • John J. McGuire III R-VA-5
  • Mark B. Messmer R-IN-8
  • Daniel Meuser R-PA-9
  • Mary E. Miller R-IL-15
  • Carol D. Miller R-WV-1
  • Riley M. Moore R-WV-2
  • Troy E. Nehls R-TX-22
  • Dan Newhouse R-WA-4
  • Andrew Ogles R-TN-5
  • Burgess Owens R-UT-4
  • John W. Rose R-TN-6
  • Michael A. Rulli R-OH-6
  • Austin Scott R-GA-8
  • Keith Self R-TX-3
  • Jason Smith R-MO-8
  • Christopher H. Smith R-NJ-4
  • Pete Stauber R-MN-8
  • David J. Taylor R-OH-2
  • Claudia Tenney R-NY-24
  • Thomas P. Tiffany R-WI-7
  • Tim Walberg R-MI-5
  • Randy K. Weber, Sr. R-TX-14
  • Daniel Webster R-FL-11
  • Tony Wied R-WI-8
  • Ryan K. Zinke R-MT-1