Jefferson Reporter

U.S. Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, both Republicans from Alabama, have reintroduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, known as S. 9. This legislation aims to uphold Title IX protections for female athletes. According to the senators, the Biden administration has been undermining Title IX through changes implemented by the Department of Education over the past four years.

Senator Britt emphasized the importance of safeguarding opportunities for women and girls in sports: "For daughters like mine and generations to come, we’ve got to protect women and girls in sports," she stated. She also acknowledged Senator Tuberville's role in leading this legislative effort.

Senator Tuberville expressed concern about recent developments affecting women's sports: "President Trump ran on the issue of saving women’s sports and won in a landslide," he said. He added that a significant majority of Americans believe men should not participate in women's sports or share locker rooms with them. Tuberville stressed that Congress must act to prevent similar situations from arising again.

The bill has received endorsements from several organizations, including Independent Women’s Voice, Concerned Women for America, and Heritage Action for America. A group of 29 Senate Republicans have joined as original cosponsors, among them Senators Jim Banks (R-Ind.), John Barasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cindy Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Dan Sullivan(R-Alaska), Thom Tillis(R-N.C.) and Roger Wicker(R-Miss).

Earlier this year, Senator Britt took part in a roundtable event with Senators Tuberville, Lummis, Hyde-Smith, and former ESPN broadcaster Sage Steele to discuss preserving Title IX protections for women's sports. Additionally, Britt has questioned Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona about Title IX rulemakings under the Biden-Harris Administration.

In previous sessions of Congress, Senator Britt co-sponsored various resolutions related to women's rights in sports alongside other senators such as Marsha Blackburn and Laphonza Butler.