LaLota Votes to Uphold Title IX and Protect Women and Girls in Sports
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Suffolk County), the husband of a former Division One athlete and father of three young girls who play team sports, released the following statement after cosponsoring and voting to pass H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act which protects the integrity of women’s rights under Title IX and ensures fair competition in women’s and girls’ sports.
“As the father of three young girls and husband to a former Division One athlete, I am proud to support the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. This commonsense bill ensures that women’s and girls’ sports remain on a level playing field, preserving the integrity of competition and safeguarding the rights of female athletes guaranteed to them under Title IX, ” said LaLota. “An administration should never have had the opportunity to make such a significant determination unilaterally, especially when it comes to changes to Title IX, which has long protected the rights of women and girls in sports. Allowing biological men to compete in women’s sports compromises fair competition and denies young women the opportunity to develop physically and mentally as athletes and deprives them of educational opportunities. Girls' sports should be reserved for biological girls and by upholding the integrity of Title IX, we protect the future of girls' sports and ensure that every young woman has the opportunity to succeed and excel."
Background:
H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act would ensure that school athletics comply with the intent of Title IX to protect individuals from sex discrimination based on the person’s reproductive biology. Additionally, this bill would ensure that biological females compete against other biological females in women’s sports that are funded through Title IX.
Title IX bans sex discrimination in public schools, colleges, and universities that receive federal funding and is best known for protecting girls from discrimination in sports. In June 2022, the Biden administration proposed changes to Title IX that would prohibit schools from discriminating against transgender students. The proposed rule was pulled in December 2024 after significant backlash and overwhelming opposition.
The proposed rule underscored the pressing need for Congress to take legislative action to clarify Title IX's scope and application, ensuring that its protections are consistently applied across administrations.