A Senate Republican effort to codify a bill preventing boys from participating in girls' sports ran into a roadblock earlier this week.
According to Fox News, the attempt was held up in the filibuster process, as it did not reach the 60-vote threshold required to pass. The bill was shot down on party lines in a 51-45 procedural vote.
Every single Democratic senator voted to dismiss the motion to proceed on the bill. Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) didn't vote as they were reported absent.
The bill, called the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, "would require Title IX to treat gender as 'recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth,' and would disallow any adjustment for it to apply to gender identity," the outlet reported.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) introduced the bill, which had 40 co-sponsors in the Republican-led upper chamber.
The bill would also have the added benefit of codifying one of President Donald Trump's executive orders regarding the debate over boys playing in girls' sports, which millions of Americans believe is grossly unfair.
"Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports" was the title of Trump's executive order.
The EO read, "It shall also be the policy of the United States to oppose male competitive participation in women’s sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth."
The White House released a statement on the bill.
"Through an amendment to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, this bill would expressly recognize what is already federal law—that it is an illegal act of discrimination for a man to participate in a federally funded athletic program or activity designated for women or girls," the statement read.
Tuberville launched the bill years ago under former President Joe Biden. There were obviously no similar executive orders signed by the former Democratic president.
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Chairman Bill Cassidy released a statement on the bill.
"Female athletes who work extremely hard should not have their future in athletics hindered because they are forced to compete against biological males. Instead of standing up for women and girls, Democrats voted to cosign Joe Biden’s attempted assault on Title IX," Cassidy wrote.
He added, "I will continue working with President Trump and my Republican colleagues to preserve Title IX, ensuring every woman and girl has the chance to succeed."
