Only two Democrats, Vicente Gonzalez (left) and Henry Cuellar (right), of Texas, supported a bill that would have prohibited transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports.
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Two Texas Democrats voted to ban transgender athletes in girls sports on Tuesday.
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Reps. Vicente Gonzalez and Henry Cuellar voted yes on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.
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The bill passed 218-206.
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Two Texas Democrats voted to ban transgender athletes in girls sports on Tuesday.
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Reps. Vicente Gonzalez and Henry Cuellar voted yes on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.
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The bill passed 218-206.
WashingtonThe party that voted to prohibit transgender athletes from participating in girls’ sports included two Texas Democrats.
The only two Democrats that voted in favor of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act were Representatives Vicente Gonzalez (D-McAllen) and Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo).
What’s in the Bill?
We know:
The law would prevent schools that permit transgender athletes to play women’s sports from receiving Title IX funds.
A federal program called Title IX forbids sex-based discrimination in activities and educational institutions receiving government funding.
According to the measure, athletes’ sex would be determined by their biological sex at birth.
The law would also request a study from the Government Accountability Office on the advantages of single-sex sports for women, which the bill’s author said would be lost due to male involvement.
The study “must document the negative psychological, developmental, participatory, and sociological effects of male participation on girls.”
Males training and practicing with women and girls would not be prohibited by the bill “so long as such training or practice does not deprive any female of corresponding opportunities or benefits.”
Based on the figures:
Rep. Donald Davis (D-N.C.) voted in favor of the bill, which was approved by a vote of 218–206, with three Republicans and six Democrats abstaining.
The Senate will now consider it.
What they’re saying:
After the vote, Gonzalez said in a statement that Democrats shouldn’t be scared to cast their votes the way their constituency wants them to.
“I think that in order to maintain the fairness of our sports, there should be regulations prohibiting boys from participating in girls’ sports. Gonzalez stated that members of Congress must be allowed to vote in a way that is representative of their area. “As Democrats, we shouldn’t let our fear of Washington stop us from voting for the ideals of our district. I promised to bring South Texas principles to Washington, not the other way around, when I first campaigned for Congress. I voted in favor of H.R. 28 for this reason. I now look forward to collaborating with every member of this Congress to reduce the exorbitant cost of living and generate economic growth in my area.”
Who are Vicente Gonzalez and Henry Cuellar?
Only a few Democrats, including Gonzalez and Cuellar, were elected in districts that Donald Trump won in the 2024 election.
Gonzalez, who represents Hidalgo, Cameron, Kenedy, Kleberg, and Willacy counties, is in his fifth term in the House.
Cuellar has served in the 28th Congressional District for 11 terms.
Guadalupe, Bexar, Atascosa, McMullen, Jim Hogg, Duval, Webb, Zapata, and Starr counties are all included in the district.
The Origin:The U.S. House of Representatives and Representatives Cuellar and Gonzalez provided the information used in this article.
