{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://fulcher.house.gov/2025/09/23/id-8b744691-defa-4e80-8c61-2d946a6b250e/", "Fulcher Joins Amicus Brief Supporting Idaho, West Virginia Title IX SCOTUS Case", "2025-09-23", "2025", "2025-09", "Republican", "House", "ID", "Russ Fulcher", "F000469", "fulcher.house.gov", "fulcher", "https://fulcher.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Congressman Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) has signed on to a bicameral congressional amicus brief being led by U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Congressman Riley Moore (R-W.Va.) to the U.S. Supreme Court in the cases Little v. Hecox and State of West Virginia v. B.P.J.\n\nThe brief supports the States of Idaho and West Virginia in defending their laws preserving Title IX protections and prohibiting biological men from participating in women\u2019s sports.\n\nCongressman Russ Fulcher said, \u201cWhen Congress passed Title IX over fifty years ago, the People\u2019s representatives made a commitment to future generations of women and girls that they would have fairness in athletics and equal treatment in education. This common-sense provision is based on a stable understanding of an individual\u2019s biological sex. Since then, Idaho has become the first state in the nation to ban biological males who identify as female from competing against women and girls in sports. This is aligned with federal law, and I am confident the court will see it as such.\u201d\n\n\u201cLife isn\u2019t fair, but sports should be. Idaho passed a strong law to uphold Title IX\u2019s intended purpose and prevent biological men from competing in women\u2019s sports,\u201d said Senator Jim Risch. \u201cThis amicus brief demonstrates that any attempt by the courts to rewrite Title IX protections throws away decades of progress made by women and jeopardizes their right to fair, equal athletics. Our daughters and granddaughters deserve an even playing field, and Idaho\u2019s law does just that.\u201d\n\n\u201cWest Virginia passed a law saying men shouldn\u2019t play in women\u2019s sports. This is just common sense \u2013 men and women are biologically different. Congress passed Title IX to create a space for women to have the ability to compete in athletics,\u201d said Congressman Riley M. Moore. \u201cI\u2019m proud to lead this bicameral Members of Congress amicus brief with Sen Jim Risch (R-Idaho) in defense of my home state and Idaho\u2019s laws protecting women\u2019s sports at the Supreme Court. Men cannot become women and they certainly shouldn\u2019t be forced to compete together. We have a duty to protect our children and ensure that no more girls are injured by transgender athletes pretending to be women.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongress established Title IX to protect women in all levels of education against discrimination on the basis of sex. That protection applies to school sports \u2013 where female athletes who have invested significant time and effort to excel should not be made to face unfair competition from biological males in women\u2019s categories,\u201d said Senator Mike Crapo. \u201cIdaho must have the right to stop any efforts that attempt to undermine Title IX.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a high school girls\u2019 basketball coach, I have seen firsthand how hard young women compete to succeed. It is absolutely not fair to ask them to step onto the court or field with biological men. That\u2019s why I will always support West Virginia\u2019s Title IX laws \u2013 and always be a vocal advocate to protect the integrity of women\u2019s sports,\u201d Senator Jim Justice said.\n\n\u201cWomen\u2019s sports should remain just that \u2013 women\u2019s sports,\u201d Senator Shelley Moore Capito said. \u201cWest Virginia has a proud tradition of female athletes who deserve a level playing field, and I\u2019m proud to stand with my colleagues in defending that principle\u2014something I\u2019ve long-championed. Allowing biological males to compete in women\u2019s sports undermines the very fairness and protections Title IX was designed to provide. This amicus brief makes clear that protecting women\u2019s sports is not only common sense, but also the law and I\u2019m confident the Court will come to the same conclusion.\u201d\n\n\u201cTitle IX has advanced and protected educational opportunities for students for more than fifty years. Unfortunately, radical policies and far-left woke ideology are trying to undo all the progress we have made when it comes to protecting women\u2019s sports. Female athletes should not have to worry about losing scholarships or Olympic medals by having to compete against men,\u201d said Congressman Mike Simpson. \u201cNow more than ever, we need to stand united against this insanity and uphold our promise for the next generation of young girls. Americans are grateful to leaders like Governor Little, as Idaho was the first state in the nation to ban biological males from competing in female athletics. Idaho has set a common-sense standard \u2014 one that should now be met across the country.\u201d\n\nAdditional Background\n\nThe amicus brief emphasizes that Title IX was written on the basis of sex, not gender identity. The brief states:\n\nNeither Title IX nor subsequent legislation mention the concept of \u201cgender identity;\u201d\n\nTitle IX was enacted under the Spending Clause, which requires clear and unambiguous provisions, none of which say anything about gender identity; and\n\nAny attempts to expand upon Title IX protections must come from Congress, not the courts.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://fulcher.house.gov/2025/09/23/id-8b744691-defa-4e80-8c61-2d946a6b250e/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.11363285779953, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}