Five House Democrats broke with their party Tuesday night to vote with Republicans on an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that prohibits transgender girls from competing on female sports teams at Department of War (DoW) schools.
The amendment, led by Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., passed with a vote of 221-203. All Republicans supported the measure, while 203 Democrats voted against it. The five Democrats who voted in favor were Reps. Henry Cuellar (Texas), Shomari Figures (Ala.), Don Davis (N.C.), Vicente Gonzalez (Texas), and Terri Sewell (Ala.).
House Democratic leadership, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, voted against the amendment. The DoW schools affected by the amendment serve the children of active-duty military personnel and civilian employees.
Mace stated that the amendment was intended to prevent biological males from competing against biological females in sports, asserting that "male athletes are stealing medals, invading locker rooms, and putting girls in the hospital, all in the name of gender ideology." She added, "Our warfighters' daughters deserve better than this."
The vote highlights ongoing divisions within the Democratic Party regarding transgender participation in school sports and broader issues concerning transgender youth.
The NDAA, which sets annual military and national security policy, must be passed in identical forms by both the House and Senate before it can be sent to President Donald Trump's desk.
In a separate development also mentioned in the notes, transgender and intersex candidate Ashley Webb is running for a state Senate seat in Maine.