Democrats criticized by GOP lawmakers and Riley Gaines for opposing the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.

On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its first bill of the 119th Congress, which was the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.

While all 235 Republican representatives supported the bill, only two Democrats, Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzales, voted in favor of its passage. The remaining 206 House Democrats voted against it, and Rep. Don Davis abstained by voting "present."

In a press conference on Capitol Hill, Republican congressional representatives and women's rights advocates criticized the Democrats who voted against the bill's passage.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., expressed his disappointment that only two Democrats supported the bill's passage.

Johnson stated that although two Democrats joined their group, it was disgraceful that there were not more. He argued that every member of their body voted for common sense and to safeguard women. However, for political reasons, they decided not to do so.

"In November, the American people made it clear that they want us to adhere to common sense, yet some of our colleagues in the other party seem to be disregarding their request."

Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer and advocate for women athletes' rights, criticized the 206 Democrats who opposed a bill related to trans athletes' participation in women's sports.

The Democrats who opposed the new law on the grounds that it would lead to young girls being examined for sports eligibility were targeted by Gains.

Gaines stated that Democrats are known for enforcing genital exams on girls, requiring them to reveal their internal and external anatomy, and using Taliban-like tactics to do so. He also mentioned the hiring of predators to spy on enforcers and the fearmongering about predators that Democrats engage in.

On Tuesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., posted on Bluesky, claiming without evidence that the legislation would allow child predators to harm girls and young women.

A spokesperson for Jeffries' office stated that the post speaks for itself when asked for comment by Planet Chronicle Digital.

Gains also criticized those who claimed the bill was a "waste of time."

"This bill is a waste of time, and I heard that message loud and clear when I heard it. It's clear that I am a waste of time, just like all the other girls around the country. Your daughters are a waste of time to all House Democrats except for two."

Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., highlighted Democrats' history of supporting and commending transgender inclusion in female sports.

Steube stated that the Democrats have long attempted to enable biological men to participate in women's collegiate sports in the United States.

"It's ludicrous that we must pass legislation restricting sports participation to only women!"

The Biden administration and Democrats have implemented broad measures to support trans athletes in female sports.

Hours after President Biden took office on Jan. 20, 2021, he issued an executive order on "Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation."

The sentence can be rewritten as: "Ensuring that children can learn without worrying about being denied access to restrooms, locker rooms, or school sports should be a priority."

In April, Biden issued a clarifying rule under Title IX that expanded the ban on "sex" discrimination in schools to include discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, and "pregnancy or related conditions." Despite the administration's insistence that the regulation did not address athletic eligibility, multiple experts presented evidence to Planet Chronicle Digital in June that it would ultimately result in more biological men competing in women's sports.

Democrats have introduced other federal legislation aimed at increasing transgender inclusion in women's sports. Among these proposals is the Equality Act, which was introduced in 2019 and has undergone revisions that would require public schools to allow biologically male athletes who identify as transgender on girls' sports teams.

In March 2023, Democrats pushed for a transgender bill of rights, urging a resolution that stated the responsibility of the Federal Government to establish and enforce a Transgender Bill of Rights. The resolution specifically demanded federal law to guarantee that biological men could participate in sports on teams and in programs that correspond to their gender identity, and use school facilities that align with their gender identity.

In the November election, it seemed that Trump and Republicans' stances on trans inclusion backfired, as they used TV ads to attack Democratic opponents for their support of trans rights.

According to a national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America (CW) legislative action committee, 70% of moderate voters consider the issue of "Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls' and women’s sports and of transgender boys and men using girls' and women’s bathrooms" important to them. Additionally, 6% of voters said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important."

Unfortunately, despite being an opportunity to prioritize people over Washington politics, the vote remained nearly a complete party vote, with only two Democrats affirming and protecting Title IX's protections, as CWA legislative strategist Macy Petty told Planet Chronicle Digital.

"The vote was not about a complex policy issue, but a self-evident truth that civilization has recognized since the beginning. When this principle is neglected, as we have seen, women and girls suffer terrible consequences that require moral clarity to address. However, finding this clarity in Washington has become increasingly difficult."

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