[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 68 (Monday, April 24, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E347]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN SPORTS ACT OF 2023

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 19, 2023

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 734) to 
     amend the Education Amendments of 1972 to provide that for 
     purposes of determining compliance with title IX of such Act 
     in athletics, sex shall be recognized based solely on a 
     person's reproductive biology and genetics at birth:

  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Chair, the House is considering a Republican-led bill 
that would prohibit transgender girls from participating in girls' and 
women's athletic programs.
  This bill undermines the key purpose of Title IX--which is to 
eliminate sex discrimination in federally funded education programs--
and it removes protections against gender identity discrimination in 
the context of athletic programs.
  Young people participate in sports to be part of a team, learn 
sportsmanship, and challenge themselves. However, this bill seeks to 
strip trans girls of all ages of these opportunities and would limit 
opportunities for nonbinary and trans students as well as subject all 
students to egregious invasions of privacy.
  We cannot let anti-LGBTQ Republicans use ``protecting women'' as an 
excuse for targeting and discriminating against trans kids. This isn't 
about sports or gender equity; it's about attacking LGBTQ kids.
  We must stand up against this bill and the larger coordinated attack 
against transgender people and the LGBTQ community. We've seen hundreds 
of anti-LGBTQ bills, with many specifically targeting transgender 
people, introduced in states across the country this year.
  Some extreme conservatives have even gone as far as calling for the 
``eradication'' of transgender people.
  We must stand up for the rights of all people and protect school 
children--regardless of their gender identity, and ensure that everyone 
has equal access to opportunities, including playing sports.