WASHINGTON (WDNews) — U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., on Wednesday criticized Senate Democrats after they voted against his bill involving women’s and girls’ sports, according to a statement from his office.
In the statement, Tuberville’s office said Democrats voted “for the fourth time” to block legislation he said would protect women’s and girls’ sports and preserve Title IX. The statement also said Tuberville offered the bill as an amendment to the Save America Act.
Tuberville responded sharply after the vote and accused Democrats of refusing to support the measure.
“Seems like Groundhog Day to me. I’ve been here for six years and this is the fourth time that I’ve had this bill on the floor and I’m still trying. And I’m going to continue to try until I’m gone.”
He continued by pointing to the political divide around the issue and said he believes the legislation should have had wider support.
“Every time we’ve voted on this, I haven’t gotten one single Democrat to vote for it. In 2024, one of the main issues—the reason why we’re the majority in here, majority in the House, and have control of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue—is because for some reason my Democrat colleagues do not want to protect girls and women in sports. It’s ludicrous. For the life of me, I cannot understand how biological males can be given the right to take away the rights of young girls.”
Tuberville also said the issue is about maintaining separate categories for male and female athletes.
“We have women’s sports and we have men’s sports. That’s the way it should be. That’s the way it has been up until a few years ago.”
He added that sports play an important role in the lives of young people and families across the country.
“Everybody in here has daughters, nieces, or granddaughters that love sports. [Sports] are one of the best things this country has going for it. You’re taught teamwork, dedication, work ethic, time control, organization—you get all of those things out of sports. I did it for 35 years. I’ve seen people change their lives because of it.”
Tuberville also argued that female athletes can be harmed when competing against larger male athletes and said awards and opportunities are being taken from girls and women.
“Female athletes suffer [life]-long injuries because of competing against bigger men. Can we not figure that out? How about the trophies and the awards that are stolen from young girls and ladies that work all their life to win a game or to win some kind of award in the sport they’re in? ”
He closed by calling for voters to pay attention to how lawmakers voted on the issue.
“Enough is enough. I hope today when we vote on this bill for the fourth time saying that men can’t compete in women’s sports—that when [Democrats] walk up to vote and say ‘no, I’m against that’ that they look up at the damn camera up there and let the people see you vote against women in this country having the same rights as men when it comes to athletics.”
Tuberville represents Alabama in the U.S. Senate and serves on the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging committees.
