Horsford Denounces House Passage of H.R. 734, the “Politics Over Participation Act”

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) denounced the passage of H.R. 734, the “Politics Over Participation Act.” As a member of the Equality Caucus, Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, and father to a teenage daughter, Horsford is concerned of the impact this would have on women and girls of all ages in sports. He supports the Equality Caucus’ mission to promote equality for everyone regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics. 

“H.R. 734 is a dangerous bill that does not protect women and girls in sports, but rather potentially puts them in danger. The bill is written in way that it could force any girl to undergo invasive medical exams to ‘prove’ that they’re a girl. It could require girls of all ages to answer personal questions about their bodies and physical development to random adults at their school they may not even know,” said Congressman Horsford. “This bill isn’t about sports or gender equity; it’s about attacking trans and other LGBTQ+ youth in Nevada and around the country. We should protect our children from gun violence and ensure they have access to a quality education and nutritious food to eat. Instead, my colleagues want to single out trans and other LGBTQ+ kids for exclusion. I stand ready to work with my colleagues on the issues that make our kids less safe, including sexual harassment by coaches and guns in school.”  

In advance of the House’s vote on H.R. 734, more than 95 women’s and girls’ rights organizations sent a letter to Congress opposing H.R. 734. Their letter explained that H.R. 734 would inevitably lead to some schools adopting invasive “sex verification” practices, which any girl could be subjected to. Bills considered in state legislatures have also included explicit language about how these trans sports bans would require these invasive practices. For example, in 2021, Florida’s ban on trans inclusion in sports initially allowed schools to subject students to “physical examination.” In 2022, Ohio considered a ban on trans athletes that included a “verification” process based on “internal and external reproductive anatomy” if a student athlete’s gender identity was disputed.   

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