Equality Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, there are some fundamental principles that we all ought to be able to agree on: Don't hurt other people; respect the right of doctors to do no harm; respect the right of parents to protect their children.

Now, the bill before us today could have affirmed the right of every adult to declare their own gender consistent with these principles. Unfortunately, it violates these principles in the most fundamental ways. And this isn't speculation. Many States have already adopted similar laws, so we can see, firsthand, the result of them.

This bill harms people in so many ways: destroying safe spaces for women, undermining women-owned businesses, intimidating the free exercise of conscience. But let me concentrate on one aspect, the destructive impact it has on women's sports.

Wherever these laws are imposed, biological males have begun to dominate women's competitions. Listen to 16-year-old Selina Soule of Connecticut. She tells the story of qualifying for the prestigious Middletown Invite.

She says this: ``Eight of us lined up at the starting line . . . but when six of us were only about three-quarters into the race, two girls were already across the finish line. . . . What just happened? Two boys identifying as girls happened. Fair is no longer the norm. The chance to advance, the chance to win has been all over for us. . . . I missed the chance to compete in the New England Championship this past season because of this.''

And she goes on to say: ``The CAAC won't listen to my voice, but I hope Congress will. . . . H.R. 5 will endanger women and girls of all ages by opening up every sports team in the country to any male who self-identifies as female. This policy will take away our medals, records, scholarships, and dreams.''

And we know this will happen because it already has. And we know it is the intent of the bill because Congressman Steube offered an amendment: ``Nothing in this act may be construed to require a biological female to face competition from a biological male in any sporting event.'' The Democrats voted it down on a party-line vote.

Sorry, Selina, but if you are looking for fairness from this majority, you have come to the wrong place.

Now, this bill could have protected the professional judgment of doctors, but it doesn't. At our hearing on May 1, Mr. Cicilline said: ``What H.R. 5 does is to ensure that transgender people, including young people, are not denied care because of their gender identity.''

Well, what is care for gender identity? Cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers, and surgery. Refuse to provide it on the self-diagnosis of a child and you have just broken the law.

Indeed, Johns Hopkins University, which pioneered sex reassignment surgery, stopped the practice because they saw the long-term harm it did to their patients.

And we know that is the intent of the bill as well, because I offered an amendment: ``Nothing in this act shall be construed to require healthcare providers to affirm the self- professed gender identity of a minor,'' and the Democrats voted it down on a straight party-line vote.

Listen to one anguished parent, Elaine, tell her story. She says: ``Let me explain to you how this works. If you take your child to a clinic to seek help, affirmative care means the . . . professionals must accept a child's professed gender identity. . . . Under `conversion therapy' bans, questioning a child's professed gender identity is now illegal. So, if a little boy is 5 years old and believes he is the opposite sex, affirmative care means going along with his beliefs. Parents are encouraged to refer to him as their `daughter' and let him choose a feminine name. Teachers are told to let him use the girls bathroom at school. Therapists will reassure parents that social transition is harmless and reversible. Is it really harmless to tell a child who still believes in the tooth fairy that he is of the opposite sex? . . . If a 10-year-old girl is uncomfortable with her developing body and suddenly insists she is a boy, affirmative care means blocking this girl's puberty with powerful drugs.''

And we know this will happen because it already has. And we know this is the intent of the bill because Congressman Mike Johnson offered an amendment: ``Nothing in this act or any amendment made by this act may be construed to deny a parent's right to be involved in their minor child's medical care.'' And the Democrats voted that amendment down on a party-line vote.

Elaine goes on to say: ``I am speaking out because I love my daughter. And it is because of her that I know what I have told you is true. She has been a victim of `gender affirming' medical procedures, and I was powerless to stop doctors from harming her.''

I am sorry, Elaine. The House majority doesn't care, and it isn't listening.

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