Speaker Emerita Pelosi Floor Speech on the Politics Over Participation Act

Washington, D.C. – Today, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks on the Floor of the House of Representatives in opposition to H.R. 734, the Politics Over Participation Act.  Below are the Speaker Emerita's remarks.

Speaker Emerita Pelosi.  Thank you, Mr. Speaker.  I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his leadership for faith, fairness and safety in our schools and for justice in our community.  

I stand here today in opposition to the legislation that is on the Floor.  And listening carefully to the maker of the motion, he references a religious context in his comments, and so I will then following his lead.  

Yes, we are all God’s children.  We all have a spark of divinity in us, and therefore are worthy of respect.  And that spark of divinity that is within us insists that we respect it in others as well.  

So, recognizing that we are all God's children, I rise in opposition to this legislation because trans kids are all God's children – belong in sports, in schools, in books, in families and on teams.  

It's really important for us as leaders in our country to speak with respect for all of the people in our country.  Trans kids listen and hear what we say, and we do not want to do them harm for whatever purpose on the Floor of this House. 

The gentleman also referenced Title IX.  While none of us were probably here when Patsy Mink very courageously passed Title IX, many of us were here as we re-authorized it over time and fought off, fought off initiatives to weaken it.  To say that in supporting women in sports was taking away from men in sports – simply not the case.  

But I will say that this bill is an insult to the legacy of fairness and inclusion that Patsy Mink intended and was passed by the House and the Congress in Title IX – Senator Birch Bayh in the Senate of Indiana.  

So I say: let every child, regardless of gender identity, deserve a chance to be part of a team, to learn lessons of sportsmanship, to push themselves to reach their fullest potential.  And vote no – against this legislation.  I yield back.