Senate Democrats Block Blackburn’s Effort to Establish “American Girls in Sports Day”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) urged her Senate colleagues to stand with female athletes by designating October 10 as "American Girls in Sports Day." Senate Democrats blocked the resolution in favor of the Biden-Harris administration's radical agenda to allow biological males to compete in women's sports by dismantlingTitle IX. Nearly 70% of Americansagree, athletes should only be allowed to compete on sports teams that correspond with the sex they were assigned at birth.

Senator Blackburn's resolution is co-sponsored by 37 Senators and has been endorsed by many key advocates for female athletes, including Riley Gaines, Caitlyn Jenner, and Sage Steele.

Click hereto download video of Sen. Blackburn discussing "American Girls in Sports Day" and here to view it.

REMARKS AS PREPARED:

Athletics Create Opportunities and Offer Life Lessons for Young Women

"Across our country, more than 3 million female high school and college athletes compete, practice, and train every day to achieve athletic success.

For many of these young women and girls, their sports are more than just a game: They are life-long passions that improve their physical health, boost their self-confidence, and teach them the leadership skills to succeed on and off the field.

In short, women's athletics has done incredible things for women."

The Biden-Harris Administration Waged War on Women's Sports by Overhauling Title IX

"Which is why it is so deeply disturbing to see the Biden-Harris administration wage a war on women's sports.

In their crosshairs: Title IX- the landmark civil rights law that codified protections on the basis of sex.

By requiring equal resources for training, recruitment, and scholarships for female athletic programs, Title IX led to an explosion of women's participation in sports.

In fact, since 1972, the year Title IX became law, the number of female college athletes increased by a factor of seven, while the number of female high school athletes has increased more than ten-fold.

Yet for years we have seen this administration undermine the very Title IX provisions that enabled greater women's participation in sports.

In 2022- on the 50th anniversary of Title IX-the Department of Education announced new rules that force schools to allow biological males to play on female teams.

And just in April, the administration redefined 'discrimination' to allow biological men to use women-only locker rooms and bathrooms.

Are Tennesseans and the American people really expected to believe that this is okay?

You do not need to be a biologist to understand that there are fundamental biological differences between men and women.

And when it comes to sports, these differences undermine fair play, erase women's hard-earned achievements, and put female athletes in danger."

Blackburn Commends Young Women for Bravely Speaking Out Against the Biden-Harris Administration's Radical Agenda

"Thankfully, many young women are bravely speaking out against the Biden-Harris administration's radical agenda, including Tennessee's Riley Gaines.

In 2021, Riley was forced to compete against-and share a locker room with-a biological male during the NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships.

During the 200-meter competition, Riley tied for fifth with her male competitor. But when Riley went to the award ceremony to pick up her trophy, officials told Riley that they were giving the fifth-place trophy to the biological male.

'Yours will be coming in the mail,' they told Riley.

This should never happen in the United States of America."

Blackburn Urges Senate Colleagues to Stand with Female Athletes to Establish "American Girls in Sports Day"

"Now more than ever, Congress should stand with the female athletes fighting for fair play and celebrate the incredible contributions women have made to the world of sports.

That's why I'm calling for unanimous consent for my resolution to establish October 10 as 'American Girls in Sports Day.'

Of course, we picked that date for a special reason: As the 10th day of the 10th month, October 10 is represented by the roman numerals XX-the same numerals of the female sex chromosome.

In the last 50 years, female athletes have gone from the sidelines to the center stage of competition. As we continue to fight for women's participation in sports, we must keep in mind what is at stake-and the 'American Girls in Sports Day' resolution will help ensure that happens.

I urge all my colleagues to support it."

RELATED:

• Blackburn Leads Resolution To Recognize 'American Girls In Sports Day'
• Blackburn To Biden Admin: Your Efforts To Dismantle Title IX Are Dangerous For Women And Girls
• Blackburn, GOP Colleagues to NCAA: Keep Biological Men Out of Women's Sports

https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2024/9/senate-democrats-block-blackburn-s-effort-to-establish-american-girls-in-sports-day