WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville’s bill that would prevent transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports failed to advance during a procedural vote in the Senate Monday.
Senate Democrats blocked the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. The vote was 51-45 along party lines. The bill needed 60 votes to advance, which would have required at least seven Democrats to join Republicans in support of it.
“Congress needs to act on this, to protect women in sports, to ensure Title IX protections are preserved,” Tuberville said in a floor speech ahead of the vote.
The legislation would categorize gender under Title IX as “based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.”
Sen. Katie Birtt, R-Ala., said she was proud to support the bill. Britt said she would continue fighting for girls and women to be able to compete safely in sports.
“For decades, Title IX has been instrumental in providing female student-athletes, like my daughter, the opportunity to compete fairly, gain leadership skills and build their confidence,” Britt said in a statement. “I am disappointed that the Senate failed to move forward on this commonsense bill.”
Restricting transgender athletes is a key GOP priority in the 119th Congress and for President Donald Trump. He signed an executive order last month preventing schools that receive federal funding from allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports. Executive orders can be overturned by future presidents, so Tuberville wanted to codify the ban.
Sen. Brian Schatz, D-HI, said the legislation was a distraction from the issues Americans are facing, such as high grocery costs.
“What Republicans are doing today is inventing a problem to stir up a cultural war and divide people against each other,” Schatz said.
Tuberville posted a series of X posts urging Democratic senators from multiple states to support his bill.
“This is about standing up for girls and women, which I know my Democratic colleagues also care about,” Tuberville said. “This is long overdue.”
The House passed similar legislation in January, with two Democrats joining Republicans to support it. Alabama’s House delegation voted along party lines.