Some legislators in Harrisburg are trying to avoid a vote on protecting women and girls in Pennsylvania.
There’s been a surge of effort in Harrisburg this week to advance the Save Women’s Sports Act (SB9). This is critical legislation to ensure fair competition in women’s sports and to protect the privacy and safety of girls’ locker rooms.
SB9 passed the Pennsylvania Senate in May, but since then, it has been stuck in the House Education Committee. The committee’s chairman, Rep. Peter Schweyer (D-Allentown), has refused to allow the bill to come up for a vote, effectively blocking it from ever reaching the House floor.
That’s why a determined group of Republican State Representatives, led by Rep. Barb Gleim (R-Cumberland), launched an important effort to force action. They filed what’s called a discharge resolution, a seldom-used procedural maneuver designed to pry a bill out of committee gridlock. To start, they needed 25 signatures from House members to support the resolution, and they got every Republican House member (101).
But today, instead of allowing the issue to be debated and voted on by the full House, House Democrats in the Education Committee voted to re-refer SB9 to yet another committee, sidestepping the discharge resolution entirely and resetting the clock on when another discharge resolution may occur. This tactic means Pennsylvanians will have to wait at least another 15 legislative days before there’s another chance to try to advance the bill.
As House Education Minority Chairman Rep. Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) put it:
“Rather than embracing debate on this important issue, where polling shows that over two-thirds of Americans support protecting women’s sport, House Democrats would rather avoid the topic entirely. Under House Rules for this session period, 25 member signatures are required for a discharge petition to be filed and a piece of legislation to be brought out of committee for a vote by the full House.
With these rules in mind, Senate Bill 9 should be considered immediately, not buried in another committee where another discharge petition would need to be filed to bring it to the House chamber for debate. Sadly, due to the actions of House Democrats today, we will not get that opportunity and we will have to wait another 15 legislative days to try and hold a vote on Senate Bill 9. Our female athletes deserve a fair shot on the field and a fair vote on the House floor and avoiding this debate does the opposite.”
This effort is unfolding against the backdrop of a remarkable turnaround at the University of Pennsylvania. Just days ago, UPenn agreed to comply with Title IX following action from the Trump administration, apologizing to its former women swimmers who were forced to compete against and change alongside Lia Thomas—a biological male who previously competed as William Thomas on the men’s team before switching to the women’s team and dominating the field.
UPenn’s reversal didn’t happen by accident. It was driven by brave young women like Paula Scanlan, who spoke up despite fierce backlash and threats, determined to defend the truth and protect the future of women’s sports. Her courage, and that of other women like Riley Gaines and Lily Williams of Lancaster County, has inspired many to stand for what is right, even when it’s hard.
As Michael Geer, our President, wrote in his recent commentary to our supporters:
“These are the very challenges that should not discourage us but rather motivate us to continue standing up for what is right, regardless of the odds or the expected outcome.”
We’re disappointed—but we’re not going anywhere. We will continue to watch, advocate, and sound the alarm. Girls across Pennsylvania deserve fairness in competition and dignity in private spaces, free from policies that force them to compete against and undress next to males. And we will keep working until they have it.
➡️ Click here to contact your State Rep in support of the Save Women’s Sports Act!.
We need you. As we’ve been urging in our recent alerts, please take a moment to contact your state representative. Urge them to support bringing SB9 to the House floor for a full vote. It takes just a minute, but your voice could be what tips the scales.
Because girls deserve fair competition.
Because women deserve privacy and respect.
And because the truth of biological reality is worth defending—together, with your prayers, your support, and your direct engagement.
