Providing for Consideration of H.R. Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of and Providing for Consideration of H.J. Res. Disapproving the Action of the District of Columbia Council in Approving the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022
Floor Speech
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Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support for the rules package of H.R. 734, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.
Here we are again, Mr. Speaker. This side of the aisle is advocating for sanity and humanity while that side of the aisle raises their hands saying: What are we doing here?
Just like in our debate where we had to denounce socialism on this floor, and just like our debate where we had to defend the lives of abortion survivors, we are here to protect America. We are here for the sanity and humanity of America.
Women's sports are meant for biological women and biological women alone. Let's follow the science. For generations, female athletes such as Lisa Leslie, Serena Williams, Katie Ledecky, Mia Hamm, and, most recently, Riley Gaines--who sat in this very gallery during our State of the Union Address and most recently was violently assaulted by a radical mob of activists--have fought tirelessly to tear down societal barriers in sports.
This movement, Mr. Speaker, is making a mockery--a mockery--of their brave dedication and overall progress for women in general.
Now my colleagues across the aisle want to insult the hours of blood, sweat, and tears that these women have invested into their sports and their careers. We are not going to stand for it. Enough is enough. The emperor has no clothes.
Some 50 years ago, Congress passed Title IX to give women the opportunity to compete at levels never seen before. Women broke barriers, and now this radical movement wants to break their spirit.
It is an insult to that legislation and to the progress society has made. It is an insult--yes--that we are even here today having to debate this very issue. Women deserve protections and a fair playing field and a fair swimming pool.
Is that too much to ask for, Mr. Speaker?
This legislation will give them just that. H.R. 734 states that sex in the athletic context must be recognized based only on a person's reproductive biology and genetics at birth. It also clarifies that a recipient of Title IX funding is violating the prohibition against sex discrimination if a school allows a person whose sex is male to participate in a women's athletic activity.
Simply put, we cannot ignore the biological differences between a male and a female. To do so would be ignorant and a disservice to the sporting world.
Mr. Speaker, this is not about hate. This is about love. This is about love for our country, love for the advancement that women have made, and love for sanity.
Let's give women the protection that they deserve and the protection that they have earned.
Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ.
Mr. Speaker, all opposition to this bill is not radical. Indeed, the Republican Governor of Utah also opposed a similar bill, and in his veto message he talked about the fact that even though he might not understand what it means to be trans, even though he doesn't understand the science which might be conflicting, he said: I choose to err on the side of kindness and compassion.
He wanted to make sure that the children live, the few children in his State who play sports, the few trans children in his State who play sports, he said: Why are we heaping so much hatred on those children?
I want them to live.
The reason why that concern is so profound is because of the fact that transgender kids have an extremely high risk of suicidal behavior. In 2021, suicide was the second leading cause of death for kids ages 10-14 and 20-34. Nearly one in five trans kids attempted suicide that year. I want our trans kids to live.
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