Federal law now defines female athletes by reproductive biology, barring transgender women from comp

What it does

This bill amends federal law governing amateur sports organizations by adding definitions of 'female,' 'male,' and 'sex' based on reproductive biology, and requires that organizations prohibit males from competing in female-designated athletic competitions. The bill directly affects eligibility rules for Olympic and amateur sports governing bodies, potentially excluding transgender women from female competition categories.

Why we flagged it

The bill's operative mechanism is a mandate that amateur sports organizations enforce sex-based eligibility rules in female competitions. It is not a deregulation, subsidy, or procedural measure—it is a substantive eligibility restriction imposed on sports governance.

What the text implies

• The definition of 'female' and 'male' by reproductive system may create legal ambiguity for intersex individuals whose reproductive anatomy does not fit neatly into either category, potentially triggering disputes over eligibility.
• The bill does not specify enforcement mechanisms or dispute resolution, leaving unclear how sports organizations will verify reproductive-system status or handle contested classifications.
• The phrase 'would have, but for a developmental or genetic anomaly' may be interpreted to include individuals with differences of sex development (DSD), but the scope and application remain undefined.
• The bill applies only to 'amateur athletic competition' and does not address professional sports, creating a potential gap in coverage if professional leagues operate under different rules.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill creates a concrete benefit for cisgender female athletes by restricting competition in female categories to those meeting a biological-sex definition, potentially protecting competitive fairness and safety. However, it simultaneously restricts participation rights for transgender women and intersex individuals, creating a real cost to those groups' athletic opportunity and dignity. Both effects are concrete and material.

Named in the bill

Amateur sports governing organizations, Olympic organizations, 36 U.S.C. § 220501, 36 U.S.C. § 220522

Where it stands

73 cosponsors: 73 Republicans.

• Feb 5, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Feb 5, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary”
• Feb 3, 2026 — Markup held in committee · Congress.gov: “Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held”
• Feb 3, 2026 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 15 - 10”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

4 lobbying clients named this bill on 6 disclosure filings across 2 quarters, Dec 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $568,908 in lobbying spend. A filing names 76 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 72% of bills with at least one filing.

W. Steube, the sponsor, reported $646,500 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• Human Rights Campaign — $439,908 on 2 filings
• National Women's Law Center Action Fund — $75,000 on 1 filing
• Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee — $44,000 on 2 filings
• National Council of Jewish Women — $10,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 20, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.