The U.S. House of Representatives passed its first bill of the 119th Congress on Tuesday, voting in favor of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.
Every Republican representative voted in favor of the bill, but only two Democrats, Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, and Vicente Gonzales, D-Texas, voted to pass it. The remaining 206 House Democrats all voted against. Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., voted "present."
After the bill was passed, Republican congressional representatives and women's rights advocates condemned the Democrats who voted against it in a press conference on Capitol Hill.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said it was "shameful" that only two Democrats voted to pass the bill.
"We had two Democrats join us, but it's shameful, there should be many, many more. In fact, I argue that every member of this body voted for common sense and to protect women. But for some reason, for politics I guess, they chose not to," Johnson said.
"The American people sent a clear message in November, they want us to return to common sense, but it seems that some of our friends in the other party are ignoring that plea."
Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, a prominent advocate for women athletes' rights who leads a lawsuit against the NCAA for its stance in allowing trans athletes to compete as women, also lambasted the 206 Democrats who voted against the bill.
Gaines took aim at the Democrats who argued against the new law on the basis that it would result in young girls being examined for sports eligibility.
"We heard of things like genital exams, we heard that girls would be asked to show what's in their underwear, we heard that they would have to show internal and external anatomy, inspections, Taliban-like enforcers, hire predators to peak at enforcers on and on and on, weird fearmongering about predators, but that's what Democrats do best," Gaines said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., sent a post on Bluesky criticizing the legislation on Tuesday, making unsubstantiated claims that the law would "unleash horrific child predators on girls and young women."
Jeffries' office has not offered a substantial explanation as to how the law would do this. When asked for comment by Fox News Digital, a spokesperson only said, "The post speaks for itself."
Gaines also criticized those who said the bill was "a waste of time."-
"I heard that this bill is a waste of time, and let me tell you the message I received when I heard that, it's that I am a waste of time. Girls around the country, just like me, are a waste of time. Your daughters are a waste of time to all House Democrats except for two."
Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., who re-introduced the bill in the House after a failed attempt to pass it in 2023, pointed out Democrats' track record of enabling and celebrating trans inclusion in women's sports.
"The Democrats have, for years, tried to allow biological [men] to compete in our nation's women's collegiate activities," Steube said.
"It's absolutely absurd that we actually have to pass a bill that says only women can be in women's sports!"
The Biden administration, alongside other Democrats, has taken sweeping actions over the last four years to enable trans athletes in women's and girls' sports.
On Jan. 20, 2021, just hours after President Biden assumed office, he issued an executive order on "Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation."
This order included a section that read, "Children should be able to learn without worrying about whether they will be denied access to the restroom, the locker room, or school sports."
Biden issued a sweeping rule that clarified that Title IX’s ban on "sex" discrimination in schools covers discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation and "pregnancy or related conditions," in April. The administration insisted the regulation does not address athletic eligibility. However, multiple experts presented evidence to Fox News Digital in June that it would ultimately put more biological men in women's sports.
Democrats have proposed other federal legislation that would allow for more transgender inclusion in women's sports. These include the Equality Act, which was proposed in 2019 and has seen revisions that "would force public schools to allow biologically male athletes who identify as transgender on girls’ sports teams."
In March 2023, Democrats advocated for a transgender bill of rights, proposing a resolution "recognizing that it is the duty of the Federal Government to develop and implement a Transgender Bill of Rights." The resolution specifically called for federal law to ensure that biological men can "participate in sports on teams and in programs that best align with their gender identity; [and] use school facilities that best align with their gender identity."
However, those stances appeared to backfire in the November election, as Trump and Republicans pounded Democratic opponents with TV advertisements about their support for trans inclusion.
A national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America (CW) legislative action committee found that 70% of moderate voters saw the issue of "Donald Trump’s opposition to transgender boys and men playing girls' and women’s sports and of transgender boys and men using girls' and women’s bathrooms" as important to them. And 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important."
"This was an opportunity to turn a new leaf, leave party politics behind to finally prioritize people over Washington politics. But unfortunately, it remained nearly a complete party vote, with only two Democrats willing to affirm and protect Title IX’s protections," CWA legislative strategist Macy Petty told Fox News Digital.
"This vote was not about some complicated policy issue, but a self-evident truth that civilization has recognized since Creation. When abandoned, as we’ve witnessed, women and girls face devastating consequences that require moral clarity to correct. And that’s been harder and harder to come by here in Washington."
Gabby Williams, who averaged a career-high 10.3 points last season, was designated as the Storm's core player and will not become an unrestricted free agent.
The blond model, who has been linked to Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, gave her 2.9 million Instagram followers a peek at her trip to Turks and Caicos on Monday.
The Dallas Cowboys' search for the franchise's next head coach is underway.
On Monday, longtime Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones confirmed that the organization and coach Mike McCarthy mutually agreed to part ways. "Prior to reaching the point of contract negotiations, though, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction. I thank Mike and wish him, his wife Jessica and their family the best. They have been a wonderful part of our community here," Jones said in the statement obtained by ESPN.
After news of McCarthy's departure surfaced, speculation about his possible replacement ensued. During pregame coverage of Monday's wild-card round game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings, ESPN reported that a former Cowboys star tight end was under consideration for the head coaching position.
"They can and will conduct a search here to try and find the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys," Adam Schefter said during ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown" broadcast.
"Obviously it’s new, it’s just beginning. We’ll see what that brings them. A lot of names floating around out there. I think at some point in time they could have some level in the Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Potentially even Jason Witten, an all-time franchise great. But this is very early on. Very preliminary. And we’ll see ultimately where Jerry Jones goes with his search. But the Cowboys are in the market for a new head coach."
Witten was drafted by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He spent all but one of his NFL seasons with the franchise. Witten initially retired after the 2017 season, and spent some time in the ESPN broadcast booth. But he ultimately returned to the Cowboys in 2019.
He remains the franchise's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards. Witten last appeared in an NFL game with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020.
Since parting ways with McCarthy, another former Cowboys star player has also been linked to the coaching vacancy – Deion Sanders.
Sanders, who won a Super Bowl with the Cowboys during his five-year stint with the franchise, is currently the head football coach at Colorado.
If Sanders does ultimately land in the Dallas-Forth Worth Metroplex, his arrival would fall in line with one of Jones' recent coaching hires. Jason Garrett was the Cowboys' head coach from 2010-19. He was primarily Troy Aikman's backup quarterback from 1993-99.
The Cowboys are looking to reset after finishing this past regular season with a 7-10 record. Starting quarterback Dak Prescott missed the final nine games due to a hamstring injury.
Nick Sirianni addressed the buzzy moment Tuesday during a radio interview, where he pushed back at speculation the receiver's actions stemmed from agitation.
The disgraced Eagles fan who was captured on video heckling a female Packers fan during Sunday's game in Philadelphia has been banned from all future events at Lincoln Financial Field.
McCarthy went 84-49 over five seasons as the Cowboys' head coach, including three consecutive 12-5 seasons.
Despite the regular season success, McCarthy only had one playoff win over his five years with Dallas.
The Cowboys went 7-10 last season despite many key players missing significant time with injuries, including Prescott.
Prescott spoke in December about his belief in McCarthy.
"Your coach seems like he's playing on his last contract and [I’m] almost feeling helpless like I can’t help him in this situation, especially a guy you believe in so much and you believe in being your head coach," Prescott told Yahoo Sports. "Control what I can control, help and support Mike to every extent that I can."
Prescott only played in eight games due to season-ending surgery on his hamstring.
"I believe in him wholeheartedly. I don't want to necessarily get into the nuts and the screws of it all obviously, but I think he definitely deserves a chance – another contract and a chance to coach this team among more influence. ‘On his terms’ may be a good way to say it," Prescott said.
In Jerry Jones’ statement about not bringing McCarthy back, he talked about how complimentary he was of McCarthy.
"Throughout Mike McCarthy’s tenure here, including the last several weeks, I have been very complimentary of the job he has done," the statement read.
Jones cited a joint review that led to the team parting ways with McCarthy.
"Over the past week, Mike and I had the opportunity to conduct a joint review of all aspects of the past season, our players and staff, and also spent considerable time discussing the road forward for the team."
"Prior to reaching the point of contact negotiations, though, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction."
Once the Cowboys hire a new head coach, Prescott will be entering his 10th season with the third head coach of his career.
Top-ranked tennis pro Daniil Medvedev destroyed a camera and his tennis racket as he faced what could have been a monumental upset in the Australian Open by a wild-card entry ranked 418th in the first round of the Grand Slam tournament on Tuesday.
Medvedev’s outburst came during the third set when he lost a 13-stroke back-and-forth with Thailand’s Kasidit Samrej to fall behind 40-15. With Medvedev up at the net, Samrej’s shot clipped the net to go beyond Medvedev’s reach in a direction he clearly could not have anticipated.
Then Medvedev, a three-time Australian Open finalist, unleashed his anger on the net, smashing his racket several times.
In the process, Medvedev destroyed his racket and a camera that was situated directly in his path of destruction.
Staff quickly rushed to replace the broken camera and clean up the debris on the court. Medvedev was given a code violation warning for racket abuse from the chair umpire.
Medvedev dropped the set to trail 2-1, and it looked as though the No. 5 ranked player would face elimination. But Medvedev quickly turned things around to win the following two sets 6-1, 6-2, and advanced to the second round.
"In the end of last year, this match, I probably would have lost it," Medvedev said after the match. "New year, new energy."
Medvedev is hoping to start out the 2025 season with a win in Melbourne. A three-time finalist, including in last year’s tournament, Medvedev has never won the Australian Open. His biggest challenger will be Novak Djokovic, who has won the most Australian Open titles than any other men’s player with 10.
Mike Tomlin has a message for any team considering inquiring with the Steelers about his availability in a potential trade. "Save your time," he said Tuesday.
Canadiens forward Emil Heineman is expected to miss three to four weeks after being struck by a vehicle while walking in downtown Salt Lake City a day before playing at the Utah Hockey Club.
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