The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation banning men claiming to be transgender from participating in women’s sports. Backed by President-elect Donald J. Trump, the bill advanced largely along partisan lines by a vote of 218-206.
H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025, is sponsored by Congressman Greg Steube (R-FL) and backed by several powerful House Republicans, including Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI). The bill amends Title IX compliance rules to explicitly apply to only “a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.”
Speaking on the House floor on Tuesday, Rep. Walberg stated the legislation is about keeping a promise to American women. “More than 50 years ago, this country made a promise to women and girls across America,” the Michigan Republican said. “That promise, Title IX, said women and girls would have equal opportunities, both in the classroom and in athletics.”
“Unfortunately, these wins for women and girls, ushered in by the promise of Title IX, have been under attack. The Biden-Harris administration pushed a radical rewrite of Title IX that would eliminate policies enacted by 26 states to protect equal athletic opportunities for women and girls. ,” Walberg said, arguing: “Mr. Speaker, kicking girls off sports teams to make way for a biological male takes opportunities away from these girls.”
“The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act offers a new promise to America’s women and girls. It will strengthen Title IX’s protections for women, ensure a level playing field for female athletes, and protect the law from current and future radical regulatory schemes,” he concluded.
After its passage in the House on Tuesday, the bill will now head to the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate.