1. Happening now, the United States Senate is considering S9, a bill that would ban transgender people from playing sports of their gender identity from chess to darts and everything in between.
It could result in genital exams and more.
I'm covering live.
Watch:
www.senate.gov/legislative/...U.S. Senate: Floor Proceedings
Floor Activity
Senator Durbin just railed agianst the bill, and how it could be used to target cisgender athletes and accuse them of being trans.
The senators I am personally watching: Slotkin, Warner, Shaheen, Peters, Warnock, Ossoff, Fetterman, Kaine, Baldwin
Currently there is a short break. It is open floor time and senators are speaking about whatever they would like - but some are talking about the sports ban which we will see a vote on likely sometime around 6.
One good sign: Durbin is the Senate Dem Whip, so him saying this might indicate they are whipping a unified bloc.
Tammy Baldwin: This is a decision for sports leagues at the local level. They have to thoughtfully craft policies best for all players, not blanket mandates with unintended consequences. I trust our states, leagues, localities to make these decisions.
Baldwin: "This bill sends a message that certain kids are not welcome in little league. That some kids are not welcome in their school at all. What a heartbreaking message to a child. No American should be demonized and picked on so that politicians can win elections."
Tubberville: "we have women's teams in some states that are all boys, all transgender boys"
Lol... What?
Tubberville alludes to Imane Khelif in the Olympics.
Khelif is a cisgender woman, has never transitioned genders.
This vote is for Lidna McMahon, this is not the trans vote, just so y'all know.
Trans sports vote will come after.
God the Senate is slow. How do you congressional reporters do it?
They are now voting on cloture on the trans sports ban!
Duckworth N
CLOTURE FAILS, CONGRESSIONAL SPORTS BAN WILL NOT HAPPEN.
Last few votes rolling in.
Good job everyone on the phone calls, I have people telling me the phone calls mattered.
You all called in and demanded no dem defections, and so far, none, with a few outstanding votes.
I want to quickly say how significant it is that after the last election, Dems have held relatively strong on trans rights, even on sports.
Senators in battleground states are not flipping.
Their one scuff was the NDAA, where some did flip.
Budget fight is next though.
The final vote: 51-45, with 4 people absent.
CLOTURE FAILS, A CONGRESSIONAL SPORTS BAN WILL NOT HAPPEN.
Democrats hold firm, not a single dem voted for cloture.
MAJOR victory for everyone who called in today and this week in support of trans people.
Erin Reed
Ben Rosengart
Stargeezer Smith