thank you mr. chairman. >> thank you. senator king. >> thank you. mr. hegseth, welcome to the committee. you have made several references to your religion today. i share that devotion to christianity. i must say i have been reminded somewhat of saul on his way to damascus. you seem to have been converted in the last several weeks and months. you wrote in your book just last evident if we are going to send our boys to fight, and it should be boys, we need to unleash them >> we are going to leave this here. you can continue watching on c-span3. more on the c-span now video app. now we take to you the house of representatives as it gavels in this morning. live here on c-span. . the prayer will be offered by chaplain kibben. chaplain kibben: would you pray with me.

god, our teacher, our lord and our friend. we pray that we would walk where you lead us this day. open our eyes to see your guidance. to look at each encounter, regard each situation with your eyes. open our ears to your instruction, to receive every word spoken, every concern voiced, and hear as you would hear. open our hearts to your wisdom, to understand the problems, to discern the solutions, and to respond to each one as you would respond. may the perceptions of our world, the reception of those whom we meet, and the interpretation of the work you would have us do reflect that we are willing and open to learn the unforced rhythms of grace which yourself have taught each one of us. in 1/14, 1 p.m. god,

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the speaker pro tempore: the chair will entertain up to 15 one-minute speeches on each side of the aisle. for what purpose does the gentleman from south carolina seek recognition? mr. wilson: i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. wilson: thank you, mr. speaker. according to a report released by the house committee on homeland security, more than 125,000 illegal alien crossings

took place in october alone. bringing the total number of illegal alien crossings since biden-harris of over 11 million nationwide. with speaker mike johnson warning of over 16 million illegal aliens. dangerously, these catastrophic border crossing figures do not account for the illegal gotaways, including drug smugglers and identified terrorists who threaten every american family. sadly, with the due policous policies of biden-harris among those illegal transgressors are unaccompanied children who are suffering at the hands of cartel smugglers. additionally, when unmet -- when i met with president donald trump this weekend on sunday at mar-a-lago, i know he is committed to securing the borders and protecting families and making america great again. in conclusion, god bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. open borders for dictators puts all americans at risk of more

9/11 attacks, imminent as warned by the f.b.i. trump will re-institute existing laws to protect american families with peace through strength. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from massachusetts seek recognition? mr. mcgovern: unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. mcgovern: mr. speaker, it's no surprise that the republican party of mat gaetz -- matt gaetz and former speaker hastert is the same party that's obsessed with passing a bill today which i call the child pred empowerment -- predator empowerment act. republicans are passing a bill that allows any adult in a school to inspect the genitals of our kids before they're allowed to play sports. that's right, america. republicans' creepy, weird obsession with your kids' private parts now means they'res thatting bills to let them inspect what's in your kids' pants. what's wrong with you people? as a parent, i find this terrifying and downright sick. let me be clear. every kid should be able to play sports and this bill is just a mean, cruel bullying tactic. my republican colleagues are

obsessed with passing a bill to protect predators. how about they pass a bill to protect jobs or how about they pass a bill to fight wildfires or lower grocery prices? no, no, no, no. republicans are weirdly obsessed with talking about transgender people and using that as an excuse to protect and even empower child predators. and i think, mr. speaker, that we all know the reason why. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from nebraska seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to recognize two stalwarts of community service in sarpy county, nebraska. nancy and jim thompson. mr. flood: nancy and jim have dedicated their lives to giving back to nebraska throughout their nearly 5 1/2 decades of marriage. as educators, they played key roles in forming the la vista school foundation, helping it charter nearly 40 years ago. their commitment to public

service is equally impressive. nancy and jim were both elected to local and county office. nancy had the distinction of being the first woman elected to the sarpy county board of commissioners and she later served as a state senator in our unicam rally she and i served -- unicameral where she and i served together. they will be honored with the 2025 reflection award from the midlands community foundation. on behalf of nebraska's first district, congratulations to both nancy and jim and thank you for your remarkable service. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from louisiana seek recognition? without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, today i stand to honor a profound legacy, mr. john louis menard, who in 1868 became the first african-american elected to

congress. even after winning 64% of the vote, members of this body denied him the rightful opportunity to take his seat by a vote of 57-130. mr. fields: nevertheless, he bravely defended his right to represent the people of louisiana and became the first african-american to speak on this florida. his fight for representation, even when denied his dignity and his seat, has paved the way for people like me. while in 1868 there was not a single african-american in congress, today there are 67 african-americans serving in the 119th congress. a record number. largely due in part to the voting rights act of 1965, and heroes like john willis menard. i enthusiastic the speaker and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? mr. lamalfa: unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute.

mr. lamalfa: mr. speaker, we're well aware that women's sports are under threat and it's high time we actually finish the job and take a stand against the threat against them. i'm very happy to partner with mr. steube once again in being -- supporting his bill on the protection of women and girls in sports act. which is about fairness and ensuring the female athletes have the opportunity to compete on a level playing field, on their own playing field. title ix was designed to give women and girls equal opportunities in sports. biological males competing on those same fields with them undermines that intent and puts these athletes at a disadvantage in a lot -- and a lot of discomfort. this isn't about being exclusionary. it's really recognizing biological realities, protecting the integrity of women and girls sports. female athletes should not have to compete against those with inherent physical advantages. the bill ensures that women can continue to compete fairly, earn

scholarships, earn the medals, achieve their athletic goals without being sidelined by unfair competition. we must protect these opportunities and rights. i urge my colleagues to support the steube bill and ensure the future of women's sports remains fair and competitive, especially for women. misguided policies erase what has been built for female athletes all this time. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> i seek unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, high heart goes out to all the angelenos who have been affected by the wildfires in los angeles county. it has been heartbreaking to learn of those who lost their lives and to witness the devastation of entire neighborhoods. i also want to extend my gratitude to the firefighters, first responders and local officials who have been working tirelessly around the clock to combat the wildfires. they're heroism, bravery has been inspiring and i know because of their efforts, these

wildfires will soon be contained. there's no doubt that their swift actions saved lives. i join senators padilla, schiff and 46 of my democratic and republican colleagues urging president biden to grant governor gavin newsom's request for a major disaster declaration. thankfully the president approved the governor's request and california has secured multiple fire management assistance grants from fema to ensure vital resources are available for local, state and tribal agencies. however, these grants are not enough. i am also appalled by the recent calls from the other side to condition aid on a debt limit deal. now is not the time to politicize this crisis. mr. cisneros: i strongly urge house leadership to bring a supplemental spending bill to california's efforts to combat this fire and make angelenos whole again. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute.

>> i thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to recognize the inspiring work being done by the rochester museum and science center led by curator jamie jacobs to create a new, permanent educational exhibit that showcases contemporary indigenous artists inspired by their ancestors. mr. morelle: this exhibit honors the ingenuity of the indigenous people of north america and explores the role museums have played in preserving indigenous cultural heritage. at the heart of the remarkable project is the curator, jamie jacobs, of the seneca nation. his leadership has honored the enduring legacy of the people and created a space for learning, reflection and reconnection. the community of rochester, new york, celebrates this incredible achievement and extends our deepest gratitude to the rochester museum and science center and jamie jacobs for sharing these essential stories. thank you, mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from nebraska seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, by the direction of the republican conference, i send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 38. resolved -- glad flood mr. speaker, i ask unanimous -- mr. flood: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that the resolution be considered read and printed in record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from nebraska seek recognition? mr. flood: mr. speaker, by direction of the republican conference, i send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration . the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 39. resolved -- mr. flood: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that the resolution be considered as read and printed in the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the resolution is agreed to and the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? the clerk will report the resolution. the clerk: house resolution 40. resolved that the following

named members be -- >> mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that the resolution be considered as read. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the resolution is agreed to and the motion to reconsider is laid upon the i te table. for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan, mr. walberg, seek recognition? mr. walberg: mr. speaker, pursuant to house resolution 5 i call up the bill, h.r. 28, the protection of women and girls in sports act of 2025, and ask for

its immediate consideration in the house. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 28. a bill 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. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to house resolution 5 the bill is considered read. the bill shall be debatable for one hour, equally divided and controlled by the majority leader and the minority leader or their respective designees. the gentleman from michigan, mrn from oregon, ms. bonamici, will each control 30 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from michigan, mr. walberg. mr. walberg: thank you, mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent that all member may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous materials on h.r. 28. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. walberg: mr. chairman, i yield myself such time as i may

consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. walberg: mr. speaker, i rise to speak in support of h.r. 28, the protection of women and girls in sports act, authored by representative greg steube. this bill is about a promise. more than 50 years ago, this country made a promise to women and girls across america. that promise, title ix, said women and girls would have equal opportunities, both in the classroom and in athletics. for years, america has kept her promise. only 300 thousand women and girls participated in college and high school sports. by the 40th anniversary of title ix passage, the number was up to three million and the numbers have continued to climb and grow ever since.

today female participation in sports has increased over 1,000% at the high school level and over 600% at the college level since title ix. these wins for women and girls ushered in by the promise of title 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. even last week's court order striking down the regulation and the trump administration poised to do all sorts of harm and the harm caused by this decision, nearly half of the states have no protections in place for female athletes. mr. speaker, kicking girls off

sports' teams to make way for biology logical males takes opportunities away, this means fewer scholarships and makes them second class citizens in their own sports and puts safety at risk. the protection of women and girls in sports act offers a new promise to america's women and girls. it will strengthen title ix protections for women, ensure a level playing field for female athletes and protect the law from future and radical regulatory schemes. i urge my colleagues to support this bill. and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentlewoman from oregon is recognized. ms. bonamici: thank you. i rise in strong opposition to the so-called protection of women and girls in sports act, a bill that will do the opposite

and make it more dangerous. this will empower child predators and putting students at risk. this is a one size fits all that would apply to every sport. schools, parents and communities managed sports leagues right rules. many state schools and athletics associations have equal participation for transgender athletes for years and working just fine. this legislation would revoke all federal fund fringe schools that include transgender students on girls and women sports' teams and this is discriminatory to transgender students who benefit from participating in school sports and damaging to the entire school that's threatened because federal funding benefits all students. keep in mind, as of last month of the approximately 510,000

athletes who play at the ncaa level, 10 are transgender, not 10,000, 10 out of 510,000. transgender like all students deserve the same opportunity to learn team work, find belonging and grow into well rounded adults. there are important times for growth and development and sports help develop strong and emotional skills. sports provide opportunities for kids to feel confident and invaluable life lessons about team work, leadership and communication. they can make friends and build relationships. my colleagues across the aisle want to take these opportunities away from certain children. that is discriminatory and wrong. our colleagues are so atrade of people different from them that they manufactured false presumptions based on outdated

stereotypes about transginnedder people. there is no wie this protection bill could be enforced without opening the door without privacy and harassment and opens the door of have to undergo exams. we are seeing questioning of girls who may not conform to feminine roles. will they be subject to demands for medical tests that is intrusive and unacceptable especially from a party of limited government. there are real problems harming women and girls in sports but transgender students are not why. we should be solving the real pervasive problem that deter women from participating including sexual harassment and assault. and we should be working on

those issues and on the issues that improve the lives of the people we represent back home like increasing access to affordable health care and housing and find fer fighticking the climate crisis. we have seen this republicans fear monger about the transcommunity to divert attention because they have knoll rule solutions to help every day americans with the pressing problems they face. we must not discriminate. transgender youth face high hurdles and this type of discriminatory policy is associated with declines in mental health and higher suicide rates. we don't need adults in congress making congress worse. a statement in a similar bill, when in doubt, i always try to err on the side of kindness,

mercy and compassion. so should we all. i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from is recognized. mr. walberg: i yield to the sponsor of this legislation, mr. steube. mr. steube: scripture reminds us since the beginning of kind, god created pan and females. we have recognized that there are men and women as god created that are biologyically different. even science agrees with this preliminary his. our culture is subject to the perverse lie that men can be women or women can be men. the distinction is clear and this has been promulgated who seek to dismantle the core society.

we must surrender. what a shame it is over the last several years the radical left has corrupted the minds that gender is just a spectrum that it's fluid and be whatever you want. to them, it is a social construct. the radical left has taken gender transgender so far and they can't define what a woman is. and they have adopted completely made-up terms such as transmale, transfemale, some say there are 74 genders. 74. everything from a gender to omni gender and astro gender which is having a gender identity if you feel you are related to outer space. they can't even define what a woman is. today it is their religion. if you question their lies, you are labeled a transphobic bigot

and given homage to the transmovement has given way to the corruption of our nation's youth i by dismanting that congress created. in 1972 congress created title ix to protect women sports and give women their own playing field and worship to their transidols, they want to kill title ix. parents don't want biological men in their locker rooms or fair that a man competes with women. this is why title ix was implemented. it is so rare we shouldn't be concerned? the other side just made a comment about so few of these people are involved in college athletics. the truth proves otherwise. my constituent emma, a talented swimmer lost the 22 ncaa in the

500 meter freestyle by less than two seconds. the man who beat her took home that title avid filing as a woman. radical leftists are erasing the rights that women have fought to elevate biological males to the top of women's platforms. americans believe that men don't belong in women's sports. this bill will deliver upon the mandate to restore the integrity of women's sports. now is our time to act. if my liberal colleagues believe, they will vote in favor of this bill. i encourage my colleagues to stand for women's free and fair opportunity and to stand for truth, not lies. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentlewoman is recognized.

ms. bonamici: rebecca said i know what it is like to have any gender questioned. it is embarrassing. it is awful. legislators are bullying kids. i yield one minute to the gentleman from california, mr. takano. mr. takano: i rise in strong opposition to h.r. 28 the republican child predatory empowerment act. they dictate to parents and athletic associations to can and cannot participate in their local sports leagues and creates a kinder garthner to the same values that we holder as americans, fairness, opportunity and the belief in the power of local communities to make decisions. even conservative governors in states like indiana and utah

vetoed. the bill's language opens it to degrading physical examinations of children. children who want to play softball or join a basketball team. our communities thrierve when every child can be part of a team learn sportsmanship and they tattler when we write fear in our laws. i urge my colleagues to vote no and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: we offer no requirement for any type of invasive checks on weeks or men -- on women or men. just go to the birth certificate. i yield a member of the yags and work force community. >> i stand here in support of h.r. 28 and i urge the house to

pass this bill. there is no reason we should be having this conversation. h.r. 28 is a women's right bill to protect title ix which was constructed to protect women's rights. this first became on my radar when i had a lesbian couple in my tar who asked me to step aside and talk to me when i was a member of the ohio senate and said you have to protect women's sports. since we had stonewall 50 years ago, this couple told me they worked their entire life for women's rights. what my opposition party is pleurg the lines of what is a women and what is a man. my daughter has played soccer and scared to death. and seen the videos of what transathletes have been doing to women athletes and breaking their faces in volleyball, baseball and basketball. we don't have a clear level playing field when they are

participating in women's sports. we need to protect the concept of the woman. and h.r. 28 is the only path forward. it is shameful that the opposition party does not support the protection of women. we have to define what a woman is again. and h.r. 28 is the only vehicle that can actually protect women in america and whether in high school or college. for them to pursue their dreams. with that, mr. speaker, i yield my balance of time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from oregon is recognized. ms. bonamici: this woman applies to every woman in every support. and the next time you see a story of transathlete think of the children who are trying to play a game with their peers. and i yield one minute to the the gentlewoman from south carolina. ms. adams: i rise because this bill threatens the presumes

that -- principles. this bill does not protect anyone and stargts transgender women and girls. exclusion is not fairness. exclusion is ensuring that every that every athlete can grow and thrive. i will offer a bill to recommit. i would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. title ix was originally tasked to address the structural imbalancees between men and women sports, disparities that continue to pose an actual threat to women and girls in sports. my amendment based on my fair play for women act would strengthen title ix enforcement and protect all women by increasing accountability, transparency and training in athletic programs.

i ask unanimous consent to insert into the record the text of this amendment. .. i hope my colleagues will join me in voting for the motion to recommit. mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: thank you, mr. speaker. i now yield two minutes to the gentleman from georgia, representative allen, who also chairs the education and workforce subcommittee, on health, employment, labor and pensions. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. allen: thank you, mr. chairman. for yielding the time. mr. speaker, i rise in strong support of the protection of women and girls in sports act. a commonsense bill to ensure female athletes only compete with biological females. unfortunately in just four years, under the biden administration, title ix has been under constant attack, jeopardizing women's safety, athletic opportunities and chances for success. and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have followed suit. last congress not one single democrat voted in support of

this bill on the house floor. i hear about this issue consistently in my district and am often told by parents to put an end to this nonsense. how many of history's most prolific female athletes would never have reached such heights if they were forced to compete against biological males? when will democrats learn that the american people fundamentally reject their radical agenda? a gallup poll recently says 70% of the american people believe we should protect women's sports. i am a proud father to three daughters and a grandfather to 10 granddaughters. all of whom have competed or are currently competing in the sport of their choice. this bill is about protecting every female's pathway to athletic prowess, excellence and opportunity. i thank representative steube for his leadership on this issue and as a co-sponsor of today's bill, i strongly urge a yes vote and i yield back.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from oregon is recognized. ms. bonamici: i now am happy to yield 1 1/2 minutes to the gentlewoman from massachusetts, whip katherine clark. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. clark: thank you, mr. speaker. every single parent worries about their kid's safety. every parent wants their daughters to be treated fairly. including on the sports field. that conversation is being had among parents, schools, experts, sports authorities across the country. as it should be. but this bill i had jacks those -- hijacks those conversations it. hijacks the real -- conversations. it hijacks the real concerns parents have raised. it exploits those concerns to place all of our daughters in danger. this bill doesn't protect a girl's rights. it eliminates them. it requires her to answer an adult's humiliating questions.

it will accelerate our national crisis of sexual assault onioning women and girls. it puts a target on the back of every girl, every young woman, who chooses to play sports. whether that's t-ball to competitive collegiate athletes. whatever the problem is, we are trying to solve, the genital inspection of little girls is the wrong answer. i urge my colleagues to reject this bill and say no on empowering predators. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from oregon reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: thank you, mr. speaker. i'm shocked. i'm shocked that that description of this legislation and would ask where in the world, where in the world that information is found in this bill? there is no requirement for

inspections and there's no -- necessary effort other than going to a person's birth certificate. having said all of that, now let me turn, mr. speaker, and yield two minutes to the gentleman from utah, one who knows about true competition and equal nature and a just nature as well, as he wears a super bowl ring, he's also the vice chair of the education and workforce committee and chair of the subcommittee on higher education and workforce development. i yield him two minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. owens: thank you, mr. chair. mr. speaker, i rise in support of the protection of women and girls in sports act. 50 years ago title ix revolutionized women's sports, opened doors that had been closed for all previous generations. because of title ix, women's participation in athletics skyrocketed. over 1,000% in high schools and 600% in college athletics.

this progress of equal opportunity for millions of girls and women for scholarships, honors and careers and wealth, has been under attack for the entirety of the biden administration. by ignoring the biological, physical, genetic differences between men and women, this administration has dismantled the level playing field that women and girls deserve. this is about fairness, safety and opportunity. when viewed through the eyes of common sense, it's obvious. when seen through the result of lost opportunities, it becomes clear that something valuable has been stolen. when men are allowed to compete in women's sports, not only are women no longer safe, but they are also -- but they also lose scholarships, championships and opportunities to build self-esteem that lasts a lifetime. young men also lose when they embrace this ideology of unfairness and call it admirable. it's called loss of shame. i have five daughters and 12 granddaughters. i've stood on the sidelines and watched them pour their hearts and soups into -- souls into sports they love. i've seen their grit,

determination and pride as they worked hard, hoping to be victorious. even when they're not, these moments of competing add to life long building blocks of character. what message are we sending to our girl whrs we tell them their hard work doesn't matter? what is our message as we cowardly stand as boys and men steal the opportunities, dominate their sports and erase their records? this debate isn't about sports. it's about what kind of country we're going to be. to remain a nation that stand for fairness, celebrates achievement, defends the right of our girls and women, or do we devolve into a country that bows to the radical ideologies at their expense? the overwhelming majority of americans have boldly spoken out for the vision of our society. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. owens: we continue to teach our young men to respect -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. owens: truly respect -- the only respect they can earn is

the respect to defend and honor womenhood. our daughters are watching. it's time to man up. these are girls and women in our lives who depend on you to stand and fight for what's right. now is the time to protect them from men who want to infringe on their spaces and their sports. to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, please join us as we support this protection of girls and women in sports act. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from oregon is recognized. ms. bonamici: thank you. in light of the comment that the gentleman from michigan who is managing the time on the other side of the aisle made about birth certificates. i want to remind my colleagues that in the discussion on the similar bill we had a conversation about how millions of birth certificates in this country, there's a considerable number of children who are born either intersex or with ambiguous general talia. so if -- genitalia. so if the gentleman would yield for a question of how you plan to enforce this bill, because you're saying birth certificates but those aren't necessarily reliable? will you yield to a question?

mr. walberg: certainly. we -- that bill doesn't deal with this at all. it deals with men and women -- ms. bonamici: reclaiming my time. i'm now yielding a minute to the gentleman from new york, mr. nadler. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. nadler: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise to oppose this hateful bill. this bill is a cruel attack on transgender children, already among the most vulnerable in our society. facing high-risks of suicide, violence and bullying. let's be clear. this bill isn't about fairness. the ncaa stated last month that there were fewer than 10 transgender athletes in collegiate sports out of 510,000. less than .2% of athletes. the rare cases republicans cite are outliers. to deal with this .2%, the bill opens the door to invasive scrutiny of all girls' bodies. violating their privacy and dignity. little girls would be forced to have their, quote, biological sex verified through hue

mullating physical examinations of their genitals, by strangers and forced to present documentation about their anatomy. in states with similar bans, even cisgender girls deemed not feminism -- feminine enough have been forced to undergo genital examinations. this isn't fairness, it's cruelty. i urge my colleagues to reject this hateful bill and focus on real issues effecting our schools and communities. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: thank you, mr. speaker. i now yield one minute to the gentlewoman from illinois, representative miller, who is a member of the education and workforce committee, and a strong leader in protecting womenhood, girls and title ix. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. miller: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in defense of women. i rise in support of the protection of women and girls in sports act which safeguards our daughters from the radical democrats' agenda to have our

daughters and granddaughters compete against and share locker rooms with men. allowing grown men to compete in women's sports puts the safety of our daughters at risk. we have already seen numerous examples of female athletes being injured by grown men who claim to be women. the physical advantages possessed by male athletes are undeniable. allowing men to compete alongside women undermines the integrity of women's sports and diminishes the hardwork, dedication and dreams of female athletes. this bill ensures that individuals participate in sports according to their biological sex. and keeps men out of our daughters' locker rooms and showers. by passing this bill, we honor the legacy of title ix and protect the future of women's athletics and -- may i have five

seconds? mr. walberg: i yield five seconds. mrs. miller: and we are sending a clear message to the radical democrats, we will no longer tolerate our daughters being taken advantage of. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from oregon is recognized. ms. bonamici: i now yield one minute to the gentlewoman from arizona, ms. ansari. ans ans mr. speaker, i rise -- >> this bill is an egregious attack onioning women and girls. everyone in this room knows that this legislation has the power to threaten the physical and mental safety of minors. ms. ansari: this is literally why we have the ncaa. this bill is textbook government overreach meant to fuel division. further, this bill provides no enforcement guidelines, insinuating that republicans are just fine with subjecting young women and girls to invasive, humiliating medical examinations and physical inspections.

this is an attack on the mental and sexual safety of all girls in this country, as young as kindergarten. everyone deserves to have the opportunity to learn the camaraderie and life lessons that come with playing sports. i'm a strong no on this legislation because i believe we should be making our children safer, not empowering adult strangers to investigate their most private physicality. congress needs to get back to our jobs, lower costs for everyday families and working on issues that effect the vast majority of us. i yield back. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: thank you, mr. speaker. i now yield two minutes to the gentleman from missouri, new member of the education and workforce committee, mr. under. >> for the past 50 years, title ix has been an unqualified success. at increasing participation of

girls and young women in sports. mr. onder: at both the collegiate and secondary level. but for two years, by allowing men identifying as women to dominate many events in women's sports, the biden administration has perversely used title ix to destroy the very gains that title ix has fostered for young win. the issue is one of fundamental fairness. males have a greater lung capacity, larger hearts, more bone density and dramatically more muscle mass than girls. all of which lead to an enormous competitive advantage in many sports. champion olympic sprinter allyson felix's lifetime best time in the 400 meters was 49.26. in 2017 alone, 15,000 young men, high school men and boys, outperformed that time. and swimmer will, a.k.a. leah thomas, ranked 462nd in his

sport as a man, only to steal the ncaa 50050-meter freestyle championship as a purported woman. to accept men in women's sports is to destroy women's sports. being a male or female is a biological reality that cannot be changed by a few months of hormones or by clothes or by radical gender ideology. the future of our young women and girls and the gains they have made through 50 years of title ix must be protected. and i urge my colleagues to support this important bill. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from oregon is recognized. ms. bonamici: can i please inquire on the time remaining on both sides? the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from oregon has 18 minutes remaining. the gentleman from michigan has 15 minutes remaining. ms. bonamici: i yield one minute to the the gentlewoman from illinois, ms. kelly. ms. kelly: every child should

learn sportsmanship, resilience and this includes transgender children who make a small number of young athletes. a transgender child who joins a sports team does the same reason any other child does. they want to feed their hunger and form friendships with children their age. this typical experience has been stifled by politicians who want to exercise authority on transgender stiendz by prohibiting them participating. this bill distraghts to what really matters to our constituents. i thought you would want to deliver for people back home by expanding health care initiatives, improving economic opportunities and fostering public safety. instead, an attack has been launched on a community of marginalized community. i urge opposition to this bill.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan. mr. walberg: i yield two minutes to the the gentlemanfrom north carolina a member of the education and work force committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. harris: in 2022 pat mcfab was injured when a teenaged boy spiked a ball into her head leaving her with a concussion and permanent injuries despite stories like peyton, the left want us to believe that it is safe. in fact the current administration imposed this radical agenda across our nation. president biden's attempt too redefine the word sex in title ix robs our daughters of opportunity and leaves them vulnerable. thankfully, the biden

administration's rule was invalidated at the national level by a federal court just this past week. however, i stand today that congress needs to make it clear that title ix cannot and will not be weaponized to perch ate a lie that men can become women. this bill affirms common sense and reflects reality. men and women are uniquely created by god and no therapy can reverse biological by design. those who i represent, i will vote yes for the protection of women and girls in sports act and fight to restore sanity. and i urge my colleagues to do the same and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentlewoman from oregon. ms. bonamici: this bill is a blanket ban that treats every aged student and every sport the same. i yield one minute to the gentleman from illinois,

representative quigley. mr. quigley: mr. speaker, this bill is a cynical scapegoating of a vulnerable population. it is a hateful attack on kids. transkids deserve to play sports like their peers and congress can't bar them from the field. all young people should benefit from team sports developing character and improving mental health. ncaa and olympic athletic have allowed trans. they want to codify hate and discrimination against all transkids in all sports. not so long women were banned and extremists claimed that women playing sports would be the end of sports. this is no different than to be seen. every child should join a team

that is consistent with their gender and benefit from sports. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from michigan. mr. walberg: i yield two minutes to the gentleman from indiana, incoming member of the education and work force committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. >> i thank congressman steube for introducing this important legislation. i rise in support of protecting women and girls in sports act and i would like to comment that asthma the gentlewoman reserves the balance of her time. leader in the state senate we overrode the governor owe veto. participation in high school and collegiate level has risen. competitive sports are or to indiana's 8th district. the biden administration recent attempt to rewrite and re-imagine title ix is

threatening to erase women's rights. it is a simple fact of life. men and women are biologyically different. men to compete in women's sports is unfair to women and girls and takes away to be recognized and rewarded. over the last couple of years we have watched in displeef as top female athletes are losing to titles to biological males and horrified to lean of injuries that they are facing. as a father and grandfather, i'm against forcing anybody's daughter or granddaughter to share a wasser room other than women or girls. as a result of the november election, americans are clear. it is time for a change. title ix was created to protect

women and girls in sports. thanks to this legislation we will go back to doing just that. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan reserves. ms. bonamici: i yield to the gentlewoman from new york. ms. ocasio-cortez: here we are today, republicans who have voted against consistently against the violence against women act, who have taken away the rights of all women to choose and have control over their own body, who, as women are bleeding out in parking lots across the country standing there allowing us to die, now wants to pretend today that they care about women. and why? to open up gender and yes, genital examinations into little girls in this country in the

so-called fame of attacking transgirls. and to that, today, what we have to say are two words, not today. the majority right now there's no place in this bill that says it opens up for genital examinations. here's the thing, there is no enforcement mechanism in this bill. and when there is no enforcement mechanism, you open the door to every enforcement mechanism. transgirls are girls. and for all the folks that are so concerned, thank you for your concern for women for the first time. i don't know who has been to gym class, if you only believe in two genders, i see co-ed sports. women are trying to perform a specific kind of femininity for

the men who are drafting this bill and open up questioning of who is a woman because of how we look and present ourselves and what we choose to do with our bodies. i know who loves this bill, bigoted folks love this bill, assaulters love this bill, and c.e.o.'s love this bill because los angeles is on fire right now and this is the number one priority that the majority has. thank you. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: i yield 1 1/2 minutes to the gentleman from georgia, representative carter. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. carter: mr. speaker, i rise today in strong support of the protection of women and girls in sports act, which ensures fairness and safety in girls' athletics. the biden-harris administration have made it very clear they want men competing against our

daughters and granddaughters and force schools to allow biological males to share private spacees with biological females and compete in women's sports. that is wrong. the vast majority of americans say that men do not belong in women's sports or locker rooms. should michael phelps is swam the 200 meter women freestyle. under president trump's leadership we are fulfilling that promise. this week, the house of representatives will stand with all young women and girls who deserve to have the opportunity to compete safely and fairly. as a grandfather to wicks wonderful capable granddaughters, this is important. this would uphold the safety and integrity of women's sports allowing all women the opportunity to achieve excellence in sports. i commend representative steube

and i urge my colleagues to join me in the protection of women and girls in sports act. and i yield back. ms. bonamici: could i have a time check. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman has 14 minutes remaining. the gentleman has 10 minutes remaining. ms. bonamici: i yield one minute to the gentleman from ohio. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. >> thank you, mr. chair. i hate bullies. this bill is about bullying children. children struggle with identity. disbender and otherwise. and as a parent of two and former teacher, i need all adults including politicians and lawmakers to help my wife and me protect our children, to support them and give them a sense of purpose and belonging. but the bill does the opposite.

you are just picking on children. our government is not supposed to be this intrusive. your government has become incredibly intrusive. you are in our doctors' offices, you are in our classrooms banning books and now in my daughter's locker room requiring physical exams of children. it is so profounding disgusting and inappropriate and unamerican. we have an economy to fix, a border crisis to fix and my request is to focus, stop bullying children. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. members are reminded to direct your comments to the chair. mr. walberg: i yield 1 1/2 minutes to the the gentlewoman from wyoming.

>> i rise in support of h.r. 28 to prohibit federally funded schools from allowing men to compete in women's sports. i find it staggering that we have to continue such an issue but here we are. during the last administration we have witnessed the gender ideology that has disregarded biological presumes with the -- principles. wife stood by and watched this demonstration and career dses bureaucrats to manipulate the meaning and purpose behind title ix which would have disenfranchised the very women and girls that title ix was meant to protect. despite title ix since its inception having paved the way for women and girls inquleuding myself to achieve dreams, its very existence has been under

threat on behalf of the unaccountable federal bureaucracy. we must restore the sanity that has been lost over the last four years and gives me great pride to bring this to the forefront. as a co-sponsor, i thank representative steube and the education and work force committee for their leadership on this issue and i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 28. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from oregon. ms. bonamici: i yield one minute to representative jacobs. ms. jacobs: let's start the name. this bill doesn't protect women and girls in sports. puts women and girls in danger of sexual abuse. my colleagues say this wouldn't require a genital exam. we have even an examination like this happen at a high school in

utah. and unsurprisingly and wrongly targeted someone who wasn't trans. if this bill is passed into law, there is only a few ways to actually enforce it and that is genital pingses. that is asking young girls inappropriate about their menstrual cycles. i am 35 years old and love talking about my period. we shouldn't be making young girls to talk to people. if this bill is passed into law these secret questions and surveillance of kids could happen all across this country. this does not protect women and girls. this only further jeopardizees their safety and security. this bill is sloppy, vague and prejudiced. i yield back. . . the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: i yield 1 1/2

minutes to the gentleman from texas, mr. pfluger. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman virginia tech. mr. pfluger: i rise today in full support of h.r. 28, the protection of women in girls in sports act. female athletes should never be forced to compete against biological men in sports plain and simple. allowing men to complete in sports is not only a failure to women who trained their whole lives to achieve their dreams, but also completely ignores the scientific fact that men and women have clear biological conferences that make competing on the same sports team unfair and dangerous. mr. speaker, last year the biden administration tried to push a radical title ix change that could have prevented any institution receiving federal funding from bang biological men from competing in sports. educational institution vs. a responsibility to protect the women and girls that attend them. this legislation ensures they'll be able to do just that. let me be clear, allowing biological men to committee in women sports hurts women.

it takes away opportunities, scholarship funds and titles meant for women. as a father three girls this is personal. i want my girls to succeed in the sports that they play. i want them to be safe. i want that to be a level playing field. and what we are talking about here is is protecting women. protecting my three girls. the protection of women in girl sports will prevent schools from allowing biological men to compete if women sports by defining sex in an athletic competition by genetics at first i thank mr. steube for leading this effort. i urge my colleagues to vote yes. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from oregon is recognized. ms. bonamici: i yield to the gentleman from oregon ms. salinas. ms. salinas: as a mother to a former child athlete, i get the need to keep our daughters safe and ensure school sports are fair. sadly, there is nothing in this

bill to improve the safety of our daughters or improve fair play. in fact, the bill subjects girlscies against, transgender all girls to harm ridicule and strips fairness from players and parents and school communities this. bill sets up an unfair playing field where any parent raise ago concern a transgender girl can be playing on a girl's team. it's rare. it's unfair to be girls who may be targeted because they grow faster, play harder, or might be more talented then their teammates. this is unfair to the school district who can't navigate the they threat of lawsuits but also can't afford losing federal funding. this bill is sun fair to the girl athletes who could be subject to genital inspection answer subject to humiliation leaving them with the legacy of trauma. this bill is unfair to the american people who are demanding that we take their call to address the cost of living seriously. i urge my colleagues to leave these decisions in the hands of

parents and local sports authorities and vote no on h.r. 28. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield one minute to my good friend, the gentleman from california, representative lamalfa. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. lamalfa: thanks so much. i just have to do a reset here and say why are we even having to discuss this? it's amazing to me the idea that we would have x-y chromosome males competing and taking the place of women and girls in sports is just mind-blowing. where are we at in the country? where are we in a society that we are doing this? it's beyond comprehension. we are doing this o to our girls. where are the feminists? where are the people who fought so hard for rights for women and fade into the background over this transgender situation we are advancing way too much in this country. the young ladies depicted here.

paula, lili, and riley who i know personally they shouldn't even have to be in this position here. i commend them for being such strong leaders coming from being athletes. just trying to do a thing. compete for medals and scholarships and having those draining away. then stepped forward -- those taken away. then stepped forward, and they weren't comfortable to the spotlight and subjected to abuse in doing so. god bless them with their leadership in stepping forward. we need to back them up by passing this legislation and put it to an end. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the lady from organizeon is recognized. ms. bonamici: i yield one minute to the gentlewoman from oregon, representative dexter. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. dexter: thank you, mr. speaker. as a working class kid who grew up playing sports, the mother to two college athletes, and a physician i understand how important sports are to our kids' development and sense of community. no child in this country should be denied access to the opportunity to play a sport,

including our transgender children. i will vote against the g.o.p. child predator empowerment act because it does not protect women. it attacks children. under this bill kids as young as 4 could be forced to undergo invasive medical exams and answer personal questions about their bodies to adults who they don't know nor trust. this legislation distorts commonsense conversations about how to ensure fairness in our athletic competitions and instead denies our children the basic rights and safety. in congress i will continue to stand up against attacks on our transgender community because every child in oregon deserves our support and care. i yield back. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the lady reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: thank you, mr. speaker. i'm privileged to yield two minutes to the gentleman from missouri, representative alford. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. alford: mr. speaker, i rise today in strong and unwavering support for protection texting

women, protecting women sports, and passing h.r. 28, the protection of women and girls in sports act. the biden administration fought to tear down the decades of progress women have made in athletics. women have been stripped of their earned titles and live in fear for their safety in the locker rooms of america. women like riley gaines, lili mullins, and paul why scanlon, and so many -- paula scanlon and so many others. last week the federal court ruled in favor of reality. biden tried to rewrite title ix and his unconstitutional idea was rejected. let's vote in favor of reality today. the protecting women and girls in sports act clarifies the protections under title ix and make sure our women can continue to compete in fair and secure environments. it is an insult and utter disgrace to have them robbed of the triumph by a biological male. we are told if this bill passed president biden would veto it. mr. speaker, on november 5, the american people vetoed the radical left's progressive agenda and next week america

will return to common sense. i pray that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle remember common sense today in this very chamber. it is not complex, mr. speaker, god intricately created two genders for one reason. men have no business competing in women sports nor being in their locker rooms. mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the lady from oregon is recognized. ms. bonamici: i yield one minute to the gentlewoman from washington, representative randell. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. miss randall: i rise today as a queer woman, once the only girl on my football team. a graduate from a woman's college, in strong opposition to h.r. 28. this bill makes schools less safe for women and girls. it gives every teacher, coach, and parent an opportunity to police who looks feminine enough to play. it will put all girls at risk of intrusive questions and physical

genital examines dissuading girls' participation in sports. as lgbtq+ youth continue to face attacks and targeting from extremist lawmakers in legislative chambers across the country and higher rates of depression and suicide this bill is doubly dangerous. my community i meet young people and parents over and over who fled states like idaho, texas, and florida because they want to safe live in safe and welcoming communities. there are real problems impacting women sports such as pay inequality. this bill does nothing to address them. i urge my colleagues to address everyday issues facing americans and jacket this hateful partisan legislation. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the lady from oregon is recognized. ms. bonamici: i recognize my colleague from vermont, representative balint, for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized.

ms. balint: i rise in fierce opposition to this bill. transamericans are not the problem. this obsession with monitoring kids' genitals is absolutely the problems. let's be clear. this is about kids. my kids, your kids, all kids. all kids, even elementary school kids playing basketball. i'm a mom of two teens. i'm a former teacher. i know what kids are going through in school. they are already self-conscious about their bodies. they just want to be on the soccer field with their friend. they certainly do not want to be humiliated by members of congress. so, come on, let's talk about enforcement looks like. you don't want to talk about it. we know there is only one logical conclusion to this. this is interrogation of young girls. about their bodies. this is asking people to show them what is underneath their underwear. that is what we are talking about. this is the logical conclusion

for this bill. it's vial. it's twisted. they don't want to talk about the details. it's an absolute invasion of children's privacy. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. ms. balint: it puts our children at risk. i urge colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reject this government overreach. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized is. mr. walberg: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. ms. bonamici: can i please inquire on the remaining time? the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from oregon has eight minutes left. ms. bonamici: i yield one minute to the gentlewoman from oregon, representative hoyle. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. hoyle: thank you. this bill is a clear example of

government overreach. what business does the government have micromanaging how any sporting association runs their league. having a congressional vote to dictate the terms of participation in a private sporting league is a slippery slope. what's next? voting on what uniforms the ducks should wear each saturday? or more sinisterly who can participate based on race, religion, or national origin. government has a role and this isn't it. how do my colleagues propose to enforce this bill? ohio passed the save women in sports act where girls would have to verify her gender by an examine of her external and internal anatomy. traumatizing girls who happen to be late and physically maturing or naturally have a more athletic build to satisfy extreme political agendas is fear mongering and not leadership. it's cowardest and down right creepy. who would be doing these inspections? we do not need taliban-like enforcers in our schools.

every day women are injured and murdered in domestic violence, and children are murdered in their classroom. if you want to protect women and girls, let's work on that. until then, let's be honest about what this is. political propaganda that has nothing to do with lowering the cost of working americans. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: mr. speaker, continuing to hear the talk about invasion of privacy of young kids. it's just not true. on the other hand, let me explain to my colleagues what is invasive. last year riley gaines the former university of kentucky swimmer testified in the front of the georgia state legislature in addressing georgia tech's president she said, we did not give our consent to be exploited and exposed to a 6'4", fully naked man. because you did nothing, that man walked into our women's locker room at your university and saw me undress down to full

nudity. you allowed college women to be traumatized on your campus in this way. why didn't you protect us? i ask the same to my democrat colleagues, mr. speaker. why aren't they willing to protect the women and the girls from this invasion of their privacy? i yield back -- i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: does the gentleman reserve? the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from oregon is recognized. ms. bonamici: i yield one minute to the gentleman from wisconsin, representative pocan. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. pocan: thank you, mr. speaker. this is the third week we are in the 119th congress and third week no bill is before us to lower costs for americans. before us instead is a political attempt to divide us as a nation, stigmatizing some kids so some adults can get maga merit badges. the republican governor of utah veto a similar piece of legislation avenue shared of the 75,000 students in high school

sports in utah, only four were trans, and only one a girl playing sports. he also mentioned the very real 86% of transkids reporting suicidallity due to things like adults stigmatizing kids for political gain. instead today the proposed solution is in search of a problem suggests we ban girls from sports with with some sort of process to determine who is a girl. does this mean hiring potential predators to peek at the private parts of kids in locker rooms? that sounds like an actual problem to me. creating a solution to a nonexistent problem by creating a problem instead of lowering costs for americans is a sign of an ineffective congressional majority at best. i urge a no vote. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: i reserve. ms. bonamici: i yield one minute to the gentlelady from new

mexico. ms. stansbury: what i would like to know what does this bill have to do with lowering costs, the economy, making our communities safer? the answer is nothing. we are two weeks into the 119th congress and the g.o.p. is wasting our time on political messaging bill. this bill is not about protecting women or children. it's the opposite. it's about government overreach telling kids they can't play t-ball or run track or they can't run sports. it is about bullying transkids who are the most vulnerable in our communities and subjecting our children to potentially dangerous situations in their schools. and we won't stand for it. it has to stop. h.r. 28 is an assault on the safety of the transcommunity and our children.

it puts hate and division over unity and it undermines the quality in this country. it has to stop. and that is why i oppose this bill. and i urge my colleagues to vote against it. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from oregon. ms. bonamici: may i inquire about the remaining time? the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady has five minutes. ms. bonamici: i yield 1 1/2 minutes to the gentleman from florida. mr. frost: my first debate of this new congress would be debating a republican bill that empowers pedophiles and predators. they say it's about rocketing women, but it's a damn lie. this puts all girls, all children at risk in our school systems. we have a bill like this in my

state of florida. i will tell you this story of a high school student who was student government president of her entire school and now forced to take classes online after authorities published a 500-page report where they forced her classmates to share whether or not they have seen her naked in the locker room and seen her genitals. strangers, adult men could ask girls as young as four years old, personal questions about their body. and so my question is, they say it's about protecting girls but for people at home, is it protecting girls to empower strangers to question your daughter about what's in their pants? no. it's disgusting. does it empower adult men to ask your daughter to inspect what is in her pants while you are not around? no. that is predatory behavior.

the hate on the other side of the aisle for transamericans is so much so they are willing to put all much our children and daughters at risk of the serious problem in this country. so to protect our kids, we have to vote no on the child predator empowerment act. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: how much time? the speaker pro tempore: 3 1/2 minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from oregon. ms. bonamici: i ask unanimous consent to insert into the record a letter led by the national women's law center and women's sports foundation from 33 national and 34 state and local organizations announce opposition. and by the leadership of human rights, from 17 national and 289 regional state and local and

state goers because it would harm women and girls. and also a letter from randy wine garthen, president of the american federation of teachers on the 1.8 million members, i write you to op cease h.r. 28 the so-called of protection and women girls protection act and reject its attack on our students and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. so ordered. the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: i reserve. ms. bonamici: i am prepared to close. can you tell me the remaining time? the speaker pro tempore: 3 1/2 minutes. ms. bonamici: congress has the power and the responsibility to make a real difference for americans. yet we are starting this congress with a bill dangerously picking on an extremely small

number of children and young adults by putting young chirnl and all adults at risk. these attacks are fueled by discrimination, not facts. a poll found 2/3 of lght bets -- lgbtq have said it has negatively affected tear health. and furthering this hate. america has a youth mental health crisis and they are promoting hateful policies. let's talk about opportunity to champion sports for all women and girls. two years ago we celebrated 50th anniversary of title ix. and under title ix we have seen an increase in the number of female students participating in sports. college women still have now 60,000 fewer athletic opportunities than men ann

school girls have one million opportunities to play sports. my colleagues care about women's sports. apparently so because preventing transgender women and girls who make up a tiny fraction of a percent of college athletes of participating, that seems to be more important than starting this 119th congress with legislation that would protect female athletes from assault or harassment. my colleagues, we should focus our work on promoting sports safe, accessible and fair for everyone. this bill does not do that. and emphasize my colleagues have not explained how enforcement is going to happen without invasions. so i urge my colleagues, show some compassion, soy some humanity. reject this partisan bill that will harm our nation's youth.

i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from oregon yields. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: thank you, mr. speaker. it saddens me to hear my colleagues whom i respect and enjoy working with on most things totally unrecognizing the fact that the american people, parents and grandparents, teachers don't stand with them and organizations that are reported today aren't speaking for the benefit of girls and women. it's absolutely heart wrenching to see daughters and cyst he terse lose races, the strides wim have made in all corners of the sports world deserve to be celebrated and protected. like it or not, sports are based on physical ability.

pretending otherwise is a stark denial of reality. erasing sex means erasing women, especially when it comes to sports. girls and women lose a fair chance to compete when a biological male enters the field. we can't let women sports become collateral damage in the far left's campaign in the science-based understanding of sex. allowing women and girls is inexcusable. we need to stand for women and girls. and i believe the constituents in overwhelming majority understand that my colleagues are posturing with. but that's not what we are talking with. we are standing for affirming

title ix, affirming girls and protecting them for their abilities to succeed in the future. i plead with my democratic colleagues to join us, to join us in celebrating and girls, the female athlete and females in general. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan yields. all time for debate has expired. pursuant to house resolution 5, the previous question is ordered on the bill. the question is on engrossment and third reading of the bill. those in favor, say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it, third reading. the clerk: amend the education amendments to provide for purposes of determining compliance with title ix of such act in athletics sex should be recognized solely on the

person's biology and genetics at birth. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does gentlelady from north carolina seek recognition? ms. adams: i have a motion to recommit at the desk. clerk ms. adams moves to recommit the bill h.r. 28 to the committee on education and work force. pursuant to clause b of rule 19, the previous question is ordered on the motion to recommit. the question is on the motion. those in favor, say aye. those opposed, no. the knows have it -- noes have it. ms. adams: i ask for the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. those favoring a vote by the yeas and nays will rise. a sufficient number having arisen, yeas and nays are ordered. further proceedings on this question will be postponed. pursuant to clause 12-a of rule 1, the chair declares the house in recess subject to