U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has initiated an investigation into 18 states and the District of Columbia regarding policies that permit women and girls to compete against transgender women in sports. According to Cassidy, these actions violate President Trump’s Executive Order and Title IX’s original intent.
The investigation targets California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington state and the District of Columbia. The concern centers on allowing transgender women access to women's sports teams as well as their locker rooms and restrooms.
“As Chairman, it is my priority to ensure women and girls have every opportunity to succeed on the field and in the classroom,” wrote Dr. Cassidy. “This means ensuring that states receiving federal financial assistance for educational programs comply with federal law and federal agency directives.”
Cassidy has a history of advocating for Title IX protections. He previously conducted an investigation featuring testimony from female athletes about challenges faced when competing against transgender athletes. In the last Congress session, he called for reversal of a Biden administration rule that redefined “sex” under Title IX to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Cassidy also introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution with other Republican senators aiming to overturn this rule; a federal judge later found the Biden rule unconstitutional.
For more information about updates from HELP Republicans visit their website or Twitter at @GOPHELP.
