By Bo Erickson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill supported by Republican President-elect Donald Trump to essentially ban transgender girls and women from competing in school sports by withholding federal funds from schools that do not comply.
The bill, called the "Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025," passed the Republican-controlled House with a 218-206 vote. Two Democrats, Henry Cuellar and Vincente Gonzalez, joined Republicans to advance the legislation, an increase from last term when no Democrat supported the measure.
One other Democrat voted "present." The bill faces an uncertain future in the U.S. Senate. With a 53-47 majority, Republicans would be able to bring the bill up for a vote but may not be able to pass it given the chamber's filibuster rule that requires 60 members to agree on most legislation.
It is unclear if any Senate Democrat would support the bill.
"We know from Scripture and from nature that men are men and women are women and men cannot become women. It's sad that we have to say that," Speaker Mike Johnson said after the bill's passage, citing a religious basis for why competition limits for transgender student athletes are appropriate.
No. 3 House Democrat Pete Aguilar, argued before the vote that the bill has unintended consequences and "puts kids at risk" for government "inspections" of transgender students.
"There is concern that will be abused," Aguilar told reporters.
About 3% of American high school students identify as transgender, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in October. But across the U.S., 25 states so far have implemented some laws limiting transgender student-athletes from participating in competition, according to the Movement Advancement Project, a think tank that advocates for transgender rights.
Transgender rights have emerged as a political flashpoint in the U.S. over the past decade, with focus turning to sports participation in recent years as a few transgender college athletes have achieved success, like Lia Thomas, who won a national collegiate title in women's swimming in 2022.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association considers transgender competition rules on a sport by sport basis and takes into consideration the policies followed by prominent world sport governing associations.
This week's bill proposes to amend the landmark 1972 Title IX legislation that outlawed sex-based discrimination. It would force schools to follow strict gender definitions "based solely on a person's reproductive biology and genetics at birth," meaning students assigned male at birth who have since transitioned genders would not be eligible for athletic competition.
The bill permits transgender women to practice and train with women or girls' athletic teams "so long as no female is deprived" of opportunities.
Trump in October told Fox News he would support such limitations, saying, "The president bans it. You just don't let it happen."
Democratic Representative Sarah McBride this month was sworn in as Congress' first openly transgender member, after a campaign focused on economic issues, including protections for unions and affordable healthcare and childcare.