High Country Times

Today, Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) expressed his support for H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. The bill was introduced by Representative Greg Steube to uphold House Republicans' commitment to safeguarding fairness and safety in women's athletics.

Chairman Walberg addressed the House Floor, stating, "Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, authored by Representative Greg Steube."

Walberg emphasized the historical context of Title IX, which aimed to provide equal opportunities for women and girls in education and sports since its inception over fifty years ago. He noted that prior to Title IX, only 300,000 women participated in high school and college sports. This number increased significantly after the legislation's passage.

"Today," he said, "female participation in sports has increased over 1,000 percent at the high school level and over 600 percent at the college level since Title IX went into effect."

However, Walberg raised concerns about recent challenges to these achievements. He criticized actions by the Biden-Harris administration that he claimed threatened policies protecting athletic opportunities for women and girls across multiple states.

He argued against allowing biological males to compete on women's teams: "Mr. Speaker," he said, "kicking girls off sports teams to make way for a biological male takes opportunities away from these girls."

In conclusion, Walberg described H.R. 28 as a means of reinforcing Title IX protections: "The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act offers a new promise to America’s women and girls."