WASHINGTON — The Senate on Saturday blocked an amendment that would ban transgender athletes from playing in women’s sports, rejecting one of President Donald Trump’s priorities as he pressures Congress to act on a broad voting bill.
Senators were holding a rare weekend session to debate the voting legislation, which would implement strict new requirements for voter registration and require photo IDs at the polls. The goal of these measures is to prevent people in the country illegally from casting ballots.
The House passed the bill earlier this year, but President Trump has since pushed for additional priorities to be added to the legislation. These include the sports ban for transgender athletes and a ban on all mail-in voting. Democrats are expected to eventually block the broader legislation.
Republican senators have repeatedly stated that they do not have enough support to eliminate the legislative filibuster, which requires a 60-vote threshold in the 100-member Senate, or to find another workaround to pass the bill. Currently, Republicans hold 53 seats.
Despite this, Republicans brought the legislation to the Senate floor this week for a lengthy debate, as President Trump has said he will not sign other bills until they pass the voting measure.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Saturday morning that Republicans “haven’t made any final decisions about how to conclude this.” He added, “What we are trying to do is ensure that we are having a fulsome debate,” putting everyone on record “one way or the other.”
The blocked amendment, defeated by a 49-41 vote, would have penalized educational institutions receiving federal funding if they allowed individuals assigned male at birth to participate in athletic programs or activities designated for women or girls.
In addition to the sports ban, Trump wants Congress to block sex reassignment surgeries on some minors as part of the debate on the voting bill, though it is unclear whether the Senate will hold a vote on that measure.
Trump also seeks to include a ban on most mail-in balloting in the House-passed bill. He has criticized mail-in ballots for years and made them a centerpiece of his efforts to overturn his 2020 presidential election defeat to Democrat Joe Biden.
However, a ban on mail ballots would likely face strong opposition from lawmakers.
https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/senate-blocks-amendment-transgender-athletes-weekend-session-voting-131288895