Latest / Elon Musk Podcast / BREAKING: Marjorie Taylor Greene Leads DOGE Hearing On Trans Athlete Inclusion In Women's Sports

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BREAKING: Marjorie Taylor Greene Leads DOGE Hearing On Trans Athlete Inclusion In Women's Sports · Elon Musk Podcast

8:36
This hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government
8:38
Efficiency will come to order. Welcome everyone.
8:42
Without objection, the Chair may declare A recess at any time.
8:46
I recognize myself for the purpose of making an opening
8:49
statement. Good afternoon and welcome
8:52
everyone. I would like to start by playing
8:55
a video of why we are here today, so if we can go ahead and
8:59
play that please. Where's our digital team?
9:14
Where's our digital team? Here we go.
9:18
Get a border to ban men from playing in women's sports that.
9:24
There are only two sexes, male and female, and we are not going
9:27
to tolerate biological men competing in sports or impeding
9:32
in private spaces for women like myself or you.
9:34
The female fencer was given the ultimate punishment for refusing
9:38
to compete against a biological man.
9:40
Of the Portland Interscholastic Week Championships, a trans
9:44
sophomore runner for McDaniel High School, and Thomas pulling
9:46
away over the final one. Men should not be They're
9:56
hurting women. They're hurting women very
9:58
badly. They're hurting women.
10:00
I was severely injured in a high school volleyball game by a
10:04
transgender athlete on the opposing.
10:05
Anyone who disobeys federal law will be either prosecuted soon
10:10
or say goodbye to your federal funding.
10:20
I also signed an. Female athletes should never be
10:24
forced to compete against mentally ill biological men who
10:30
parade around in women's clothes.
10:33
But we'll hear from witnesses today who had to face off
10:37
against biological male competitors.
10:40
This LED 1 to suffer a life altering physical injury from a
10:43
volleyball spike to her head. The other was thrown out of a
10:48
recent fencing competition for refusing to compete against a
10:52
man. Why is this happening when we
10:56
have federal laws on the books intended to foster women's
11:00
sports? Back in 1972, Congress adopted
11:04
Title 9 to create and protect equal athletic opportunity for
11:09
girls and women in schools and colleges.
11:12
Congress included similar language in legislation
11:15
governing other amateur sports competitions.
11:19
The law chartering the US Olympic and Paralympic
11:21
Committee, for instance, authorizes the Olympic Committee
11:25
to recognize and empower national governing bodies to
11:29
oversee individual sports on a national level.
11:33
That includes determining how athletes are chosen to represent
11:37
the US in the Olympic Games and other international
11:41
competitions. These Ng BS such as USA Fencing
11:45
have statutory duties and obligations, including promoting
11:49
equal athletic opportunity for women, biological women
11:55
specifically Ng BS are to provide equitable support and
12:00
encouragement for participation by women.
12:03
We're separate programs for male and female athletes are
12:07
conducted on a national basis. Yet USA Fencing makes a mockery
12:13
out of women's fencing by allowing biological males to
12:17
compete in its women's fence fencing competitions.
12:21
We understand there are roughly 200 biological males competing
12:25
in the USA Fencing women's division.
12:29
This includes males who have won national titles and represented
12:33
the US and international competition in women's fencing.
12:38
We subpoenaed the Board Chair of USA Fencing Fencing, Damian
12:43
Lafelt, to appear here today. We did so because the Board is
12:48
responsible for setting USA Fencing policies and for
12:52
ensuring those policies comply with federal law.
12:56
At a recent board meeting where Mr. Lay felt presided, the board
13:00
determined it would change its policy on transgender athletes
13:04
if and only if forced to do so. Some science shows that men have
13:11
numerous physical advantages over women that create unfair
13:16
and potentially dangerous competitions.
13:19
Such physical advantages are significant in fencing,
13:22
according to a letter we received from USA Fencing board
13:26
member Andre Jeeva, a coach of Olympians and world champions.
13:32
Quote transgender women. Fencers have significant
13:35
advantages in women's competitions, he writes, citing
13:39
advantages in body size, reach, shoulder width, muscle
13:43
development, explosive strength and recovery cap capacity.
13:48
And a United Nations report issued last year finds that
13:51
testosterone suppression does not eliminate the advantage of
13:56
biological males. To avoid the loss of a fair
13:59
opportunity, it concludes, males must not compete in female
14:05
categories of sport. But it's not surprising that the
14:10
USA Fencing policy on trans competitors ignores the science.
14:14
The board is not shy about putting politics ahead of the
14:17
sport, ahead of women and ahead of the law, and selecting sites
14:22
for its national fencing events. For instance, the board policy
14:27
is to avoid states whose laws and policies on LGBTQ rights and
14:33
abortion it opposes. It uses equality maps to
14:37
determine which states to blacklist from its competition
14:41
competitions and which states to favor.
14:45
This ends up favoring a lot of blue States and harming a lot of
14:49
red ones. So it creates politically
14:52
determined winners and losers, but it has absolutely nothing to
14:56
do with fencing and it contradicts USA Fencing
15:00
statutory duty as an NGB to develop interests and
15:05
participation throughout the United States and fencing.
15:08
Recently, the board even voted against playing the national
15:12
anthem at its events. So we shouldn't be surprised
15:15
that the board opposed the creation of an all female task
15:19
force to re evaluate its transgender policy and it has
15:24
never surveyed its membership. One simple question, do you
15:29
support transgender athletes competing in women's
15:32
competitions? Notably, Americans broadly have
15:36
been pulled on that question and the response is overwhelming.
15:42
A New York Times it's this poll this past January found 94% of
15:47
Republicans, 67% of Democrats and 64% of independents agree
15:54
keep men out of women's sports. Americans also re elected
15:59
President Trump in November, and he spoke on their behalf in
16:03
February when he issued his executive order keeping men out
16:07
of women's sports. the United States is hosting the Summer
16:11
Games in Los Angeles in 2028. It's a great time for us to once
16:16
again take the lead in protecting and preserving the
16:20
ability of women to engage in safe, fair athletic competition
16:25
by keeping biological men out of women's sports, a United Nations
16:30
report issued last August. Most noted noted female athletes
16:35
worldwide have lost out on numerous metal opportunities due
16:41
to policies allowing males to compete in the women's category.
16:45
More than 600 female athletes and more than 400 competitions
16:51
have lost more than 890 medals in 29 different sports.
16:58
I don't want any more women missing out on metal
17:01
opportunities, avoiding athletic competitions or missing out on
17:05
college scholarships. And I don't want to see any more
17:08
girls or women getting hurt. We cannot and should not forget
17:14
the gruesome injury suffered by one of our witnesses here today,
17:19
Peyton McNabb. It happened when she was spiked
17:22
in the head by a male athlete who identified as a transgender
17:28
woman. And I'd like to ask the digital
17:30
team to please play this video. Now
17:43
that is sick. This is why I look forward to
17:47
fighting and winning the battle to keep men out of women's
17:52
sports alongside President Trump and brave women like Stephanie
17:57
and Peyton who are here today. Now you're going to hear from
18:00
our Democrat colleagues who are going to fight for these
18:03
mentally ill biological men to continue beating women and
18:08
stealing their their competitions, stealing their
18:11
medals and stealing their national championships.
18:15
And with that, I yield to the Ranking Member Stansbury for her
18:18
opening statement. All right.
18:22
Well, thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
18:24
As you can see, it's going to be an interesting hearing today.
18:28
Welcome to the Oversight Committee and in particular the
18:31
Doge subcommittee. I do want to say welcome to our
18:33
guests and to your families. We do appreciate all of you
18:37
coming here to tell your stories.
18:39
But I want to make clear that this hearing isn't actually not
18:43
about oversight or Doge, but about spreading hate and using
18:48
trans lives to distract from the real issues that Americans are
18:53
facing, from attacks on our economy to attacks on our
18:56
democracy to attacks on our communities.
18:59
So let's call this hearing what it actually is.
19:03
It's about bullying trans kids and members of the trans
19:07
community to distract from the failed policies of the Trump
19:11
administration, the failed policies and exploitation of
19:15
this Doge subcommittee and the GOP.
19:19
His own cruel agenda that is happening right now here on
19:23
Capitol Hill as they're trying to gut Medicaid, gut food
19:27
assistance, gut environment, governmental programs to give
19:29
tax breaks to billionaires. Because that is actually what's
19:33
going on behind these doors all around us.
19:36
So as the ranking member of this subcommittee, let me start by
19:40
saying to everyone in the trans and LGBTQ plus community who
19:45
might be watching or listening today that we see you, we love
19:50
you, we respect you, we are fighting for you, and we will
19:54
fight back against this hateful agenda.
19:57
Now, I do want to point out here at the outset that we are in
20:01
fact, in the oversight subcommittee on, quote UN quote,
20:04
delivering on government efficiency.
20:06
And this is a committee here in Congress that was created this
20:09
year by the GOP supposedly to address government efficiency.
20:15
And this hearing literally has nothing to do with that.
20:17
In fact, it has nothing to do with anything that falls under
20:20
the Oversight and Accountability Committee's jurisdiction.
20:23
This hearing is so irrelevant to this committee.
20:26
It's just a complete. Distraction from what is
20:29
actually happening in Congress right now.
20:33
So let's review what this subcommittee is actually
20:36
supposed to be working on, since my friends seem to have
20:39
forgotten that in their own rule, Rule 6 of this committee,
20:44
this subcommittee shall, quote, have oversight jurisdiction over
20:48
the federal civil service, including compensation,
20:51
classification, benefits, federal property disposal,
20:55
government reorganization and operation, transparency,
20:59
performance, grants management, and accounting measures
21:02
generally. That is the jurisdiction of this
21:05
committee. And I don't know about any of
21:08
you, but I don't see anything in here about sports, the Olympics,
21:12
Title 9, fencing, and certainly nothing about policing the
21:16
bodies of Americans. And frankly, hearings of this
21:19
subcommittee have become so divorced from reality or
21:23
anything resembling oversight in the jurisdiction of this
21:26
committee, it's basically turned into a political campaign ad, as
21:31
you just saw on these TV's. That's what this this, that's
21:35
what this subcommittee has devolved into.
21:38
And frankly, I think many of us expected that that's where we
21:40
would end up. But meanwhile, Donald Trump is
21:43
letting Elon Musk and his cabinet secretaries and OMB now
21:46
continue to dismantle our federal agencies to hack our
21:50
private data. They're firing veterans and
21:54
teachers and firefighters. They're trying to break Social
21:57
Security security in the VA, and there is literally no oversight
22:01
happening here in this committee under the GOP.
22:05
In fact, my colleagues have failed to bring even a single
22:09
administration witness here to this committee.
22:12
They haven't brought Elon Musk, they haven't brought a cabinet
22:14
secretary, they haven't brought a political, they haven't
22:17
brought anyone to this committee to answer to the lawless and
22:21
immoral behavior that's happening inside the
22:23
administration or anything that relates to the jurisdiction of
22:27
this committee. That's why, even though we had
22:30
hoped on the Democratic side for real and meaningful bipartisan
22:34
work to make the government more efficient, to make it work
22:37
better for Americans, we have to sit here week after week and
22:41
fight back against this abusive and lawless and ridiculous
22:46
agenda. And, you know, I want to just
22:49
point out that there are now over 220 lawsuits against the
22:53
Trump administration and over 130 court restraining orders and
22:58
injunctions against them because of this agenda.
23:02
So why did the chairwoman decide to call this hearing today?
23:06
Why is it that we're trying to distract from an agenda that is
23:09
so unpopular that 2/3 of Americans disprove of what Doge
23:14
and Elon Musk is doing? Maybe it has something to do
23:16
with the failure of the president in the 1st 100 days
23:19
that his approval ratings have declined by 14%.
23:23
Maybe it's to distract from the the reality that our economy is
23:27
tanking and prices are going up. Maybe it's because the budget
23:31
that came to Congress last week double s down on proposals to
23:34
take food out of the mouths of children.
23:37
Maybe it's because behind closed doors all around us, they're
23:40
trying to take away your Medicaid and your food
23:42
assistance. So why bully trans kids?
23:45
Why? Why take up airspace to bully a
23:49
population that only makes up 0.6% of the population?
23:55
Because clearly they're living rent free in the GOP's minds.
23:58
But Simply put, Republicans are focused on the wrong 1%.
24:04
So why are they so obsessed? Why is Trump attacking trans
24:08
people? Why is this the centerpiece of
24:11
the Republicans here on Capitol Hill?
24:14
Honestly, it's weird and it's wrong.
24:17
And I just want to say to all of the people in the trans
24:20
community who are watching, we uplift your stories.
24:24
We are fighting for the community.
24:26
We are fighting for the rights of everyone in our communities.
24:30
And this hearing has absolutely nothing to do with the Oversight
24:34
committee. And that is why, at this time, I
24:37
make a motion to immediately adjourn this hearing.
25:06
The motion is not debatable. All those in favor of adjourning
25:09
signify by saying aye, aye. All those opposed signify by
25:14
saying no, No, in the opinion of the chair.
25:17
The noes have it and the a recorded vote will be asked for.
25:25
The clerk will call the roll. We will.
25:27
Pause for the clerk to be. Ready.
25:29
Yeah, we'll pause for the clerk. A recorded vote is ordered.
27:16
The clerk will call the roll. Mr. Cloud.
27:21
No. Mr. Cloud votes no.
27:25
Mr. Fallon. Mr. Timmons.
27:31
Mr. Timmons votes No. Mr. Burchett.
27:37
Mr. Burchett votes No. Mr. Burleson.
27:43
Mr. Burleson votes no, Mister Jack.
27:47
No. Mister Jack votes no, Mr. Gill.
27:54
Mr. Gill votes no. Mr. Comer.
27:59
Mr. Comer votes no. Miss Norton.
28:07
Yes. Miss Norton votes yes, Mr.
28:10
Lynch. Mr. Lynch votes aye.
28:15
Mr. Garcia, Yes. Mr. Garcia votes yes, Mr. Kasar.
28:21
Yes. Mr. Kasar votes yes.
28:25
Miss Crockett Yes. Miss Crockett Votes yes Miss
28:29
Stansbury. Miss Stansbury votes yes.
28:34
Miss Green. No.
28:37
Miss Green votes no. The clerk will report the tally.
28:54
Mr. Miss, Chairwoman, on this vote the aye, the Nos are 7, the
28:58
ayes are 6. The Nos have it and the motion
29:03
to adjourn is not agreed to. Also pursuant to Committee Rule
29:08
6A2, Chairman Comer refers specific responsibility for the
29:13
matter of this Dodge Subcommittee hearing regarding
29:16
USA Fencing hearing to Chairman Green and the Subcommittee on
29:23
delivering on Government efficiency.
29:25
This hearing is directly under our jurisdiction.
29:28
Without objection, Representatives McClain of
29:30
Michigan, Mace of South Carolina, Crane of Arizona,
29:34
Randall of Washington, Jacobs of California and Simon of
29:38
California are waved on to the Subcommittee for the purpose of
29:41
questioning the witnesses at today's committee hearing.
29:47
I have a chair appoint A parliamentary inquiry.
29:50
What's your inquiry? Could you please further expound
29:53
about how this falls under the jurisdiction of the of the
29:59
Subcommittee and the Rules? Miss Stansbury, under Committee
30:03
Rule 6A2, the Chairman Comer of the Oversight Committee has
30:06
referred responsibility for this hearing to the Dodge
30:10
Subcommittee hearing regarding USA Fencing.
30:14
So Chairman Comer is changing the rules so that now fencing
30:19
hearings fall under Department of Government efficiency.
30:23
OK, this is the rule book right here, Miss Stansbury.
30:26
I'm sure you have a copy of it, the number 2.
30:30
Fencing to this subcommittee. #2 In addition, each subcommittee
30:34
shell have specific responsibility for such other
30:38
measures or matters as the Chair of the committee refers to it.
30:42
And this is the hearing that we are having and jurisdiction
30:46
over. It's an important issue that
30:48
biological men stay out of women's sports and we'd like to
30:51
hold the hearing on that today. And we're going to continue and
30:54
go ahead. I'm pleased to introduce our
30:56
witnesses today. Stephanie Turner is a
30:59
competitive fencer who recently took a knee at AUSA fencing
31:04
event to avoid facing a biological male in a women's
31:09
event. Peyton McNabb is a former high
31:12
school athlete and now an ambassador for independent women
31:16
who was injured by a biological man in a high school volleyball
31:21
game. Damian Lefelt is the Chairman of
31:24
the Board of directors at USA Fencing, a recognized national
31:29
governing body for fencing under the US Olympic and Paralympic
31:34
Committee as codified in the Ted Stevens Act Fatima Goss Graves
31:40
is the president, chief executive officer of the
31:42
National Women's Law Center. I want to thank you all for
31:46
being here to testify today pursuant to Committee Rule 9.
31:50
G. The witnesses will please stand
31:53
and raise their right hand. Do you solemnly swear or affirm
32:02
that the testimony you're about to give is the truth, the whole
32:05
truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
32:10
Let the record show that the witnesses answered in the
32:13
affirmative. Thank you.
32:14
You may take a seat. We appreciate you being here
32:18
today and look forward to your testimony.
32:20
Let me remind the witnesses that we have read your written
32:24
statement and they will appear in full in the hearing record.
32:28
Please limit your oral statement to 5 minutes.
32:31
As a reminder, please press the button on the microphone in
32:35
front of you so that it is on and the members can hear you.
32:40
When you begin to speak, the light in front of you will turn
32:43
green. After 4 minutes the light will
32:46
turn yellow. When the red light comes on,
32:49
your 5 minutes have expired and we would ask that you please
32:53
wrap up. I now recognize Miss Turner for
32:56
her opening statements. Good afternoon, Chairwoman Green
33:04
and Ranking Member Stansbury and members of the committee.
33:07
It's a privilege to be invited here to speak to you today.
33:10
I started fencing at the University of Maryland College
33:13
Club team 12 years ago and became a competitive and became
33:16
competitive within the United States Fencing Association a
33:19
year later. What started as a hobby quickly
33:22
became a deep passion of mine. In these past 12 years, I
33:25
estimate that I've spent over 7000 hours training and over
33:29
$100,000 between lessons, club dues, competition fees,
33:33
equipment, and travel. I have dedicated a significant
33:37
portion of my life to the sport and competition because like
33:41
thousands of other women, I love it.
33:44
My favorite part of fencing is the competition.
33:46
The thrill, the fight, the triumph and even the heartache.
33:50
But lately, fair female only competition is harder and harder
33:53
to come by. USA Fencing has over 200 self
33:57
declared members who identify as transgender.
34:00
Each time a man competes in the women's category.
34:03
With USA Fencing's support, it removes fair sport and takes
34:07
opportunities from women. Fencing is a combat sport, a
34:11
martial art of sorts. These are out.
34:14
There are elements of speed, power, reaction time, distance
34:18
control, footwork and blade work, all attributes affected by
34:22
sex development. It's not uncommon for a quicker,
34:25
more athletic opponent to overcome the technique of
34:29
another fencer. Athleticism is powerful in
34:32
fencing and works in equal parts with strategy and technique.
34:36
It's unbelievably demeaning to female fencers to put down the
34:40
differences between men and women and any woman's loss to a
34:43
man as a skill issue or that a woman simply needs to work
34:48
harder. Within the USA Fencing
34:51
authoritative body, there is a culture of intimidation towards
34:55
women which demands that we be silent when men enter our
34:58
tournaments, a culture that includes public humiliation,
35:01
doxing, social ostracism, dismissal, and even threats.
35:08
I went from avoiding tournaments with known male athletes to
35:11
reaching out to news outlets to get this story known.
35:15
The USA Fencing up until my protest, has been unresponsive
35:19
to women's demands for fair fencing and instead doubled down
35:23
on efforts to promote male inclusion in the female
35:26
category. One month ago I took a knee in
35:29
protest to a man competing in my category Division 1A Women's
35:33
Oil, ironically held at the University of Maryland where my
35:36
fencing career began, and the video of my protest went viral.
35:41
The story of that knee began 3 years ago when I contacted icons
35:45
out of desperation for numerous men taking women's national and
35:49
world titles. Leadership was not only ignoring
35:53
women, but encouraging and glorifying these men.
35:57
It felt like there was no place for women in USA Fencing.
36:01
It took me nearly three years to get up the courage to come out
36:04
publicly. That me, I took in protest was a
36:07
cry for help and an act of desperation.
36:12
The night before the tournament, I saw Redmond Sullivan's name on
36:15
the registration list. I recognized his name from a
36:18
Redux article as a male fencer within Wagner College, Wagner
36:23
College's men's team, who switched to the women's NCAA
36:27
team and the women's USA Fencing division.
36:31
I cried the whole night and again felt betrayed by USA
36:36
Fencing. I had already spent the money on
36:39
competition fees and new equipment and spent hours
36:42
training and refurbishing my equipment, and I had traveled
36:45
down from Philadelphia, PA to College Park, MD, the night
36:48
before in preparation for that tournament.
36:51
I felt trapped. I had been defrauded of a
36:54
women's tournament and sold a lie by USA Fencing.
36:57
This was hardly the first time I faced fencing a man in a woman's
37:01
in a woman's competition. In previous instances, I would
37:04
wait until the last minute to register for a tournament to see
37:07
if any known men would register. If they did, I would not sign
37:11
up. I missed out on numerous
37:14
regional and national tournaments.
37:17
I did not want to keep abandoning opportunities to
37:19
advance my fencing. I had felt so isolated and
37:23
strangled by USA Fencing for disagreeing with his transgender
37:27
policy that I felt scared to speak openly online or with
37:31
friends in the fencing community.
37:34
I reached out to a church friend asking what I should do.
37:37
We prayed together and asked God if it is his will that I protest
37:42
that he pair me with Redmond in about that following day.
37:45
The next morning I found myself on the platform against him and
37:50
I stood down. Speaking out on this issue has
37:53
made me a target for harassment and violence, as well as cost me
37:59
friends. I have decided to step away from
38:02
the sport I love, at least for now as well, because USA Fencing
38:05
has fostered an environment where I am unwelcome in a cat in
38:08
my own category. It is culturally.
38:12
It is culturally acceptable to bully and shame women who speak
38:15
up. Speak up for other women.
38:19
I should not have had to make this sacrifice.
38:22
Women deserve to be treated fairly in sport.
38:25
We deserve opportunities to train, compete and win in
38:29
women's fence in women's category set aside for women.
38:33
We deserve this at the lowest levels of sport all the way
38:36
through elite Olympic competition.
38:38
I hope that by taking a stand and raising awareness of the
38:41
misogyny in our sport, I can help ensure other women and
38:44
girls do not have to take such risks to receive the most basic
38:47
protections in sports. Thank you, Miss Turner.
38:51
I now recognize Miss McNabb for her opening statement.
38:58
Good afternoon, Chairwoman Green and Ranking Member Sansbury and
39:02
members of the committee. Thank you for inviting me to
39:05
appear today. My name is Peyton McNabb and I'm
39:08
a sports ambassador for the Independent Women's Forum.
39:11
We are a nonprofit organization that exists to expand support
39:14
for policy solutions that actually enhance people's
39:17
opportunities and well-being. Independent Women's motto is
39:20
tell her story, Change the world.
39:23
Today I'm here to share my story.
39:25
I'm a female athlete from Murphy, NC who had my my love of
39:29
playing sports taken away from me since 2022 following a
39:34
serious but avoidable injury. I've been speaking across the
39:37
country, sharing my story and advocating for protections for
39:40
women and girls, hard earned rights to equal opportunity,
39:43
fair play, privacy, and safety. Like many other little girls, I
39:47
grew up playing sports. As soon as I could walk, my dad
39:50
enrolled me and my siblings in various sports.
39:53
I'm incredibly thankful for that because participating in
39:55
athletics has afforded me so many life lessons and given me
39:59
valuable skills. In high school, I played
40:01
volleyball, basketball, and my favorite sport, softball.
40:04
I was excited about the prospect of playing softball in college,
40:07
but that day never came. My athletic career was hindered
40:11
and cut short because I was forced to compete against a male
40:13
athlete on an opposing high school women's volleyball team
40:17
on September 1st, 2022. I went to this game knowing that
40:22
there was a male opponent, but I felt helpless and had no idea
40:24
what to do. Neither I, my team, nor the
40:27
administration agreed that we should be playing against a
40:29
male, but the game went on. Toward the end of the game, the
40:32
male athlete went up to spike the ball and it came right at my
40:35
face, slamming into my head. The force of the ball knocked me
40:39
down unconscious while my body lay in a fencing position on the
40:42
court. A fencing position is how your
40:44
body reacts to a serious brain injury.
40:47
Everything was dark to me. The auditorium was absolutely
40:50
quiet, and my teammates were scared.
40:53
That was my last day playing volleyball.
40:55
Medical professionals informed me and my family of the heavy
40:58
news that I suffered A traumatic brain injury, a brain bleed, and
41:02
my body was experiencing partial paralysis on my right side.
41:05
The doctors couldn't confirm how long it would take for my body
41:08
to recover. It could take months or even
41:11
years. And they couldn't confirm
41:12
whether I'd 100% ever be back while I've learned to navigate
41:16
my new normal. There are several challenges
41:17
that I deal with on a daily basis.
41:20
Severe headaches, balance issues, vision impairment, and
41:23
as my parents say, I'm just not the same kid.
41:26
It is completely aggravating because the injury I suffered
41:29
was 100% avoidable. If only my rights as a female
41:33
athlete had been more important than a man's feelings.
41:36
Since then, I've chosen to use my voice to advocate for girls
41:39
nationwide, especially for my younger sister, Avery.
41:42
I've decided to turn my pain into purpose.
41:45
I played a role in helping pass the Fairness and Women's Sports
41:48
Act in North in North Carolina legislature, although it was
41:52
initially vetoed by former Governor Roy Cooper, who
41:54
ironically has three daughters of his own.
41:57
Since speaking out, I've heard from so many girls.
41:59
They see it happening in their schools.
42:01
Male athletes competing in women's sports.
42:04
The fear of being severely injured by a male athlete who
42:07
was undisputedly, on average, bigger, faster, and stronger
42:11
than the average female is real. I want you all to know that this
42:15
issue is very real. I didn't realize how big it was
42:19
until it it personally affected me.
42:22
What we are talking about is reality and basic truth.
42:25
Men have an inherent biological advantage over women when it
42:28
comes to sports. The advantage is particularly
42:30
prominent respect to the activities where speed, size,
42:34
power strength, or cardio respiratory characteristics
42:38
determine performance. Males jump approximately 25%
42:41
higher than females. Males throw about 25% further
42:45
than females. Males run 11% faster than
42:48
females. Males accelerate about 20%
42:50
faster than females. Males punch 30 to 162% harder
42:55
than females. Males are around 30% stronger
42:58
than females on a of equivalent stature and mass.
43:02
This is undeniable, and many more biological statistics can
43:06
be found. An independent women's
43:07
competition report. I was so pleased to be at the
43:10
White House on February 5th when President Trump signed the
43:13
executive order entitled Keeping Men out of Women's Sports.
43:17
Finally, we saw a president act to make sure that sports
43:19
competition, sports competition for women is fair and safe.
43:24
Now we need laws at the state level that define women and keep
43:27
women's sports safe for women. Today there are 27 states that
43:30
have legislation protecting women's sports and more than 1/3
43:34
of the nation also defines sex based words across their state
43:37
laws. 50 states should have this sort of legislation.
43:41
I'm so proud of the progress being made in the states that
43:44
are protecting their female athletes.
43:46
I will continue to speak out about my experience with the
43:48
hope that I might be able to protect the next young woman
43:51
athlete from being injured. There should never be another
43:54
pay in McNabb. Thank you for having this
43:57
hearing today so that my story can be shared.
43:59
Thank you, Miss McNabb. I now recognize Mr. Layfeld for
44:03
his opening statement. Thank you, Chairwoman Green,
44:07
Ranking Member Stansbury and other members of the
44:09
subcommittee. My name is Damian Liefeld and
44:12
since September 2024, I've been the Chair of the Board of
44:15
Directors for USA Fencing. I am proud to represent USA
44:19
Fencing at today's hearing. I understand USA Fencing CEO,
44:23
who has knowledge of the operational day-to-day
44:26
activities of the organization, was prepared to testify, but
44:30
that the subcommittee preferred I appear instead, as made clear
44:32
by its subpoena. I'm pleased to be here and will
44:35
do my best to provide you with the information you seek as you
44:38
consider this important topic. As you know, USA Fencing is a
44:42
national governing body for fencing.
44:44
It supports over 700 affiliated clubs and 45,000 members.
44:49
Like other sports, fencing promotes confidence and respect,
44:53
and it encourages hard work, training and discipline.
44:57
I've been the grateful recipient of fencing's benefit for over 30
45:01
years. As an A rated competitor, A
45:04
referee, and as a coach, I've worked to bring fencing's
45:07
benefits to all Americans. Although it was adopted before I
45:11
joined the board, USA Fencing's transgender participation policy
45:15
had that same goal. We recognize, however, that
45:18
gender participation in sports is a complex topic and requires
45:23
consideration of numerous viewpoints.
45:25
Considerations of safety and fairness are paramount.
45:30
I understand that. In developing its transgender
45:32
participation policy, USA Fencing drew on its long
45:35
experience with mixed gender competition, where men and women
45:38
have safely and fairly competed against each other for decades.
45:42
USA Fencing also consulted the practices and policies of other
45:46
Ng BS as well as those of the IOC.
45:50
The USOPC and Fencing's International Federation, known
45:54
as the F IE, the IOC and FIE policies were particularly
45:59
important. As an N GB, USA Fencing is
46:02
governed by the Ted Stevens Act, which forbids Ng BS from
46:05
adopting eligibility criteria that are more strict than those
46:08
of the Sports International Federation.
46:11
The F IE does not ban transgender participation.
46:14
As a result, I understand that the consensus among Ng BS,
46:17
including USA Fencing, is that a ban on transgender participation
46:22
could violate the Ted Stevens Act.
46:24
As Chairwoman Green pointed out, I've been a vocal advocate for
46:27
transgender participation in fencing.
46:30
Those are my own personal views. My actions of Chair, however,
46:32
are guarded by the best interests of the organization
46:35
and take consideration of the diverse viewpoints held by our
46:37
members. I want to emphasize USA
46:40
Fencing's commitment to safety and fairness.
46:44
I know that in other sports, some athletes have been severely
46:46
injured in competition involving transgender athletes.
46:49
Any significant injury in competition is a tragedy and my
46:54
heart goes out to athletes like Miss McNabb who have suffered
46:57
such injuries, but thankfully that hasn't been our experience
47:00
in fencing. USA Fencing has long sponsored
47:03
mixed gender competition where men and women compete against
47:06
each other. Those bouts show that mixed
47:09
gender competition, in fencing at least, does not pose any
47:12
significant safety risks above and beyond single gender fencing
47:16
competition. The same is true for fencing
47:19
involving transgender participation.
47:21
Additionally, while some attributes more common in men,
47:24
such as height and physical strength, can certainly confer
47:27
an advantage in a fencing belt, women more commonly exhibit
47:31
other advantageous traits such as flexibility and agility.
47:35
Ultimately, fencing is a sport of strategy and technique.
47:38
Those elements will most frequently determine who
47:40
prevails, and when it comes to strategy and technique, neither
47:44
sex has an any inherent advantage.
47:47
Transgender status thus doesn't appear to confer any inherent
47:50
advantage over a cisgender fencer.
47:52
Cisgender women have beaten transgender women in 55% of the
47:55
bouts for which USA Fencing has data.
47:58
I was disappointed to learn that following the Cherry Blossom
48:01
Tournament last month, Miss Turner has decided to take a
48:03
break from fencing. I hope she will reconsider.
48:06
To be clear, USA Fencing has not banned Miss Turner.
48:10
She remains free to enter tournaments and free to compete.
48:14
Regardless, the response to Miss Turner's bout underscores the
48:17
importance of this issue and the need for reasoned discussion.
48:21
USA Fencing welcomes that discussion.
48:23
There could never be too much conversation about how to make
48:25
our sport better. And so I want to be clear that
48:28
if the law, research, or international consensus changes,
48:32
USA Fencing is prepared to amend its participation requirements.
48:36
We have been proactive in this area.
48:38
After months of discussion, USA Fencing recently adopted A
48:41
contingent transgender participation policy that will
48:44
go into effect if the law or regulations change.
48:48
I'm happy to answer your questions.
48:49
Thank you. I now recognize Miss Goss Graves
48:54
for her opening statement. Good afternoon, Chair Green,
48:58
Ranking Member Stansberry, and members of the subcommittee.
49:01
My name is Fatima Goss Graves, and I'm President and CEO at the
49:05
National Women's Law Center. We've been around since 1972,
49:09
when Title 9 was first enacted, and we've been working to create
49:13
equal opportunity for women and girls in sports and in society
49:18
ever since. Women and girls face many
49:21
obstacles to equal opportunity in sports.
49:25
Fewer financial resources than men's programs.
49:30
Worse facilities. Endemic sexual abuse and student
49:36
athletes facing these persistent inequities are among the more
49:42
than 12,000 people who have complained about discrimination
49:47
in school but who actually really can't pursue justice
49:50
because the Trump administration has laid off half the staff
49:55
whose jobs at the Department of Education it was to respond to
49:58
these complaints. Students, including disabled
50:02
kids, survivors of campus sexual assault and other forms of
50:06
discrimination are now basically in a situation where their
50:10
complaints are being warehoused. So for over 50 years, the
50:14
National Women's Law Center has been fighting for equality and
50:18
will continue to fight until every girl has the same chance
50:22
to play as everyone else. And as an expert on women's
50:25
rights in sports and in society, I want to be clear here.
50:30
Transgender women do not pose a threat to women's sports.
50:35
Trans women, gender women belong in sports.
50:39
And I'm here because I care about all women and girls in
50:44
sport. And I know that bullying trans
50:47
kids and creating panic about the existence of trans people
50:51
will not make us safer. It won't solve any of the
50:54
problems that I named about inequity in sports and the
50:58
fixation on harming trans kids. It will not fix the problems of
51:04
the American people because of the National Women's Law Center.
51:08
We hear from people every day about the real problems that
51:12
they are facing. They're concerned about
51:15
reproductive freedom. They're struggling to put food
51:19
on the table. They're agonizing about how to
51:22
care for aging loved ones, hard working folks around the
51:26
country, from Texas to Georgia to Tennessee to California.
51:31
We hear from folks who are worried that there is a budget
51:34
in this Congress that would demolish programs like SNAP,
51:38
Head Start, Medicaid, and generally make their lives
51:43
harder. And they're looking for an end
51:45
to a tax on schools, on healthcare, childcare, on
51:51
workplace safety instead. You know, over the last few
51:55
years there has been this non-stop effort to convince the
52:00
public that including transgender women in sports harm
52:05
cisgender women and harms all people in society.
52:10
But anti trans sports fans, They actually harm all women.
52:16
And I have just a few examples that I want to name.
52:18
For example, denying trans kids the chance to find teammates who
52:22
have their back, that's harmful. Or harassing black and brown
52:26
women and girls for not being, you know, feminine enough that
52:30
that's harmful. School officials secretly
52:34
investigating girls gender to make sure that they are feminine
52:37
enough to play, that is harmful and that is dangerous.
52:41
And yes, those things are already happening.
52:44
For example, after Utah passed a transports ban, a state school
52:49
board member posted a picture of a high school student athlete on
52:53
social media suggesting that she was transgender.
52:58
She was not. But she faced such intense cyber
53:02
bullying and threats to herself and to her family, they had to
53:06
actually get police protection. So as president and CEO of the
53:11
National Women's Law Center, it could not be more clear to me.
53:15
Anti trans bands, they hurt all women.
53:18
They're wrong. We won't let them be enacted in
53:23
the name of protecting women because they don't protect
53:27
women. They harm us all, and it's
53:31
discrimination, period. And if the subcommittee wants to
53:35
defend women, the National Women's Law Center definitely
53:38
has ideas about that, ideas that will actually help, ideas that
53:43
will come back. The real threats to women and
53:45
girls, safety and equality today, trans women in sports.
53:51
It's just not one of them. Thank you.
53:56
We will now begin the five minute question period of the
53:59
hearing. I would like to remind the
54:02
members that Mister Lay Felt is here under a duly issued
54:06
subpoena to answer questions at today's hearing.
54:10
After refusing to appear voluntarily, I now recognize
54:14
myself for 5 minutes for the purpose of asking questions.
54:19
No one is here today to harm transgenders.
54:22
We are here to defend girls and women, and we are here to defend
54:27
Title 9 and to uphold President Trump's executive order that all
54:32
biological males stay out of girls and women's sports.
54:37
Here displayed behind me is the post that Mister Lafelt put up.
54:42
Mr. Lafelt came in here today saying that this is game day.
54:47
You're right, Mr. Lafelt, this is game day.
54:51
Under the Ted Stevens Act, USA Fencing and other national
54:55
governing governing bodies that are authorized to oversee
54:58
individual sports on a national level have a certain obligation.
55:02
One such duty is to provide support and encouragement for
55:05
participation by women where separate programs for male and
55:10
female athletes are conducted on a national basis.
55:14
Another statutory duty is to promote a safe environment in
55:19
sports that is free from abuse of any amateur athlete,
55:23
including emotional, physical and sexual abuse, Mr. Lay felt
55:28
as the board chair of USA Fencing, surely you were aware
55:34
of these legal requirements. That means you believe that
55:38
forcing a woman to compete against a biological man
55:41
promotes a safe environment that is free from emotional abuse.
55:45
Is that correct? One moment, a point of order.
55:48
You're not. You're not.
55:49
Madam Chair, I have a point of order.
55:52
The the document that you have up behind you is a
55:55
misrepresentation of the actual post.
55:57
It appears that you're trying to misrepresent a witness here who
56:02
you use subpoena powers against. Not Miss Stansbury.
56:05
Miss Stansbury. This is not a point of order,
56:09
Miss Stansbury. You're not recognized, Miss
56:12
Stansbury. You're not recognized, Miss
56:14
Stansbury. You are not recognized,
56:17
Chairwoman. You're you are not.
56:18
This is not a point of order, Miss Stansbury.
56:21
This is not a point. What the committee does, you are
56:26
misrepresenting witnesses, you are misrepresenting policy.
56:30
You are Miss. Stansbury, you're not recognized
56:33
this, you're not recognized. That's not a point of order.
56:35
You're abusing the rules of this committee.
56:38
This is the post of Mr. Leyfelt that he posted himself on his
56:43
own social media, and that's exactly why we have it displayed
56:47
here today, because Mr. Liffelt believes that he can take away
56:51
the opportunities for women to compete in USA Fencing and he
56:55
thinks this is game day to defend biological men.
56:59
Now we're going to return to my time as chair of this committee.
57:05
Miss Turner, refusing to compete against a man cost you a 12
57:10
month probation. Did you feel you were in a safe
57:13
environment free from abuse when you were told you must compete
57:18
against a man and an all out competition?
57:23
No. No, that wasn't free from
57:25
emotional abuse. Miss McNabb, when a biological
57:29
man spiked a ball into your head, were you free from
57:32
physical or emotional abuse? I was not.
57:38
Miss McNabb, did you feel you were placed in a safe
57:41
environment when you faced A biological male in a girls
57:44
volleyball game? No, I was.
57:46
I did not feel safe. Miss Turner, were you safe when
57:50
you were forced to go up against a biological male in your sport?
57:56
No, I was not. Mr. Leifelt, do you think your
57:59
perception of what constitutes a safe environment for women is
58:04
more valid than that of a woman testifying here today?
58:08
Congresswoman, thank you for your question.
58:10
There was a study that was published in 2010 regarding the
58:13
safety of sports in the Olympic movement.
58:16
There were 51 sports that were assessed as part of that.
58:19
That's a yes or no question, Mr. Lefelt, do you feel?
58:21
That. Your.
58:22
Perception You're sitting next to a young woman who received a
58:25
brain injury from a biological male.
58:27
Is it safe to compete against biological males?
58:30
Yes or no, Mr. Lefelt? What happened to Miss Yes or no?
58:32
What happened to Miss McNab? I take.
58:34
That as a no. Mr. Lefelt, do you think forcing
58:37
a woman to change in front of a man in a locker room is abusive?
58:42
Yes or no? Congresswoman, I'm not sure.
58:44
Do you want your daughter to change in front of biological
58:47
men and and locker rooms? Yes or no?
58:50
My my daughter isn't really something that should be.
58:53
Part of this, oh, I'm going to, if you're not a quick no on
58:56
that, we're going to take that as a no.
58:57
We're going to switch gears to USA Fencing site selection
59:01
policy. You're the chair of USA Fencing.
59:03
You should be familiar, Mr. Liefeld.
59:05
What does abortion have to do with fencing?
59:08
Congresswoman. That policy was passed before I
59:10
got on the board, however. Well, you're the chair of the
59:14
board now. What does abortion have to do
59:16
with fencing, Mr. Lefelt? I'm on the board.
59:18
You're you're correct. And I offered an amendment to
59:20
that policy back in December, Congresswoman, that allowed for
59:25
more flexibility. At what?
59:28
To get an abortion while you're at fencing competitions.
59:31
And it also allowed for better convenience, so we enhance the
59:33
policy. And by leadership, Planned
59:35
Parenthood centers, Mr. Lefelt, why does USA Fencing states
59:39
abortion policies and LGBTQ policies in its site selection
59:43
process to determine where tournaments are held?
59:46
That's part of your site selection process is abortion
59:51
availability and and States and cities that are are friendly to
59:56
LGBTQ policies. How is that part of USA Fencing?
1:00:00
Congresswoman, we try to have tournaments in sites that are
1:00:03
safe for all of our members. Period.
1:00:06
So you don't think red states are safe for fencing athletes?
1:00:10
Red states are absolutely safe and we regularly host
1:00:13
tournaments there, including Texas, Ohio.
1:00:15
No, your site selection policies are based on abortion
1:00:19
availability, availability and LGBTQ availability, not on on
1:00:24
fencing, not on your sport. Now let's let's go.
1:00:28
Let's go a little bit further with this.
1:00:30
Madam Chairwoman, your time has expired.
1:00:32
You're not recognized, Miss Crockett.
1:00:35
Mr. Lefelt, you wrote a blog post where you said that one day
1:00:39
your daughter. Madam Chair, on a point of
1:00:41
order. This is my time and I'm the
1:00:43
chair of. The no, that was your time.
1:00:46
Your time is over. And now we're asking, are we?
1:00:48
The chair has discretion. I've I've lost time.
1:00:51
I have lost time as. Long as we have that
1:00:52
understanding, that's fine. I've lost time.
1:00:55
I yield 2 1/2 minutes to the chair lady.
1:00:57
Mr. Lafell, you wrote a blog post where you said that one day
1:01:01
your daughter might compete against a transgender woman, a
1:01:06
biological man. You said that if she did, you
1:01:09
might win or she might lose. But whatever the result, you
1:01:13
hope she doesn't care about the outcome because the important
1:01:17
thing is that both she and her opponent enjoy the match.
1:01:21
That's that's what you wrote in your little trans manifesto.
1:01:24
But you came here today to win and you came here today to
1:01:29
defeat women in their own sport. So as you as you stand here
1:01:35
before this committee today, you are a man that would would tell
1:01:40
your daughter to lose and enjoy it to a biological man.
1:01:45
My time has expired. And with that, I recognize Miss
1:01:48
Stansbury to defend all the trans.
1:01:54
Point of order Out of curiosity, is the chairwoman allowed to
1:02:00
editorialize before every speaker on the Democratic side
1:02:04
speaks, or is that part of her time which we know that she went
1:02:08
over? It's not a point of order.
1:02:11
You're taking Miss Stansbury's time.
1:02:12
I know you're trying to be chair of oversight, but it Miss
1:02:14
Stansbury's the ranking member. Chair would be better on this
1:02:17
side, I do agree. With it, it's Miss Stansbury's
1:02:20
time. Thank you, Madam Chair.
1:02:26
As you can see, this is a hearing full of performance
1:02:30
artists, not legislators. To our witnesses and guests, I
1:02:34
do appreciate you coming today, but this is not the venue for
1:02:38
this conversation. And our colleagues know that
1:02:40
across the aisle. That is part of why the
1:02:43
distraction of the gaveling and the yelling and the performance
1:02:47
art is happening here today, because this is not an oversight
1:02:51
hearing. This is not what the
1:02:53
jurisdiction of the Oversight Committee is.
1:02:55
And the chairman and the chairwoman both know that.
1:02:59
And they both know that a little over 100 days ago, when
1:03:03
Republicans were clamoring to show Donald Trump and Elon Musk
1:03:07
that they were going to carry their water here in Congress,
1:03:10
they created this subcommittee to do Elon Musk's bidding.
1:03:15
But now that he is so unpopular that 2/3 of Americans are
1:03:20
opposed to Doge and Elon Musk, the honeymoon is over, my
1:03:24
friends. And So what are they doing with
1:03:26
the Doge subcommittee? They're bullying trans kids.
1:03:31
They're talking about things that have absolutely nothing to
1:03:33
do with government oversight or efficiency or the economy, or
1:03:37
the reality that Donald Trump is tanking the economy and the
1:03:41
reality that Americans are pissed as hell and are marching
1:03:45
in the streets. And they're turning the Dodge
1:03:48
subcommittee into apparently now a fencing oversight committee.
1:03:53
Welcome. We're not even going to call it
1:03:55
the Doge subcommittee anymore. This is called the fencing
1:03:57
oversight committee. Welcome to the fencing oversight
1:04:00
committee. But in reality, we know this is
1:04:03
all about bullying trans kids as they are literally over on the
1:04:08
floor debating renaming the Gulf of Mexico this week because they
1:04:14
have no real agenda other than tanking the economy, taking away
1:04:20
healthcare, taking away food out of the mouths of children, and
1:04:25
basically distracting the American people while they
1:04:28
prepared the largest tax break for billionaires ever in the
1:04:31
history of this country. But it's not enough to just
1:04:35
obsessively talk and think about trans people, which obviously
1:04:39
are living rent free in their minds.
1:04:41
Donald Trump has put into place over a dozen executive orders
1:04:45
and actions bullying trans people here.
1:04:48
This committee is trying to take their own punch.
1:04:50
They're trying to keep trans people from using bathrooms
1:04:54
inside the Capitol. I mean, all of this is part of
1:04:57
their regular playbook. Do really bad, evil things and
1:05:01
then it's distract the American people by by doing ridiculous
1:05:05
things in public spaces like this.
1:05:07
So I am very grateful to Miss Goss Graves for being here to
1:05:11
breakthrough the noise, to talk about real issues that are
1:05:15
affecting our communities. Because among the things that
1:05:19
affect women, girls, all people are the cuts to healthcare, the
1:05:23
cuts to education, the cuts to vital programs that our people
1:05:28
depend on. But what I think is so important
1:05:32
is to highlight the way in which using public spaces like this to
1:05:37
bully trans people creates a lack of safety for the LGBTQ
1:05:42
plus community. And so, Miss Gus Graves, can you
1:05:45
talk about how exactly what's happening here today normalizes
1:05:50
hate and how that translates into violence and hate against
1:05:54
the LGBTQ plus community? You know, this is exactly my
1:05:59
deep worry. Over the last couple of years,
1:06:03
we have seen in states around the country and now in this body
1:06:08
and from the president, using government to attack some of our
1:06:14
most vulnerable people. And the hateful rhetoric
1:06:19
translates to violence. It's trans young people who are
1:06:24
experiencing violence in school, and it also means that we have
1:06:28
seen an increase in incidence of suicide.
1:06:32
So when I think about young people today who may be tuning
1:06:37
in, I want to reaffirm that their existence is OK and that
1:06:42
they are supported. But I also want to say very,
1:06:45
very clearly, even though people have been spun up in this frenzy
1:06:50
that all the problems in the world are apparently now caused
1:06:53
by trans folks existing, that is simply not true.
1:06:58
And if we have a very serious and concerted effort to address
1:07:04
rising costs, to address access to healthcare, to address the
1:07:09
experiences that people are having in this country and who
1:07:11
are begging for help, this body actually could be doing that in
1:07:16
an oversight way, even. It would be especially important
1:07:20
to hear this body do that so that we could have a
1:07:23
conversation around what has the impact been for people in this
1:07:26
country, for women and girls because of Dodge.
1:07:29
Those are the things I hear about all the time.
1:07:31
Yes, thank you very much and. The general ladies time has
1:07:35
expired. Want to acknowledge?
1:07:37
Your the gentle ladies, time has expired.
1:07:39
I now recognize Miss McClain from Michigan.
1:07:43
Water. Allocated you took a minute of
1:07:46
my time wasting my time on a non point of order.
1:07:50
The gentlelady's time has expired.
1:07:52
I now recognize running during this McClain.
1:07:55
During your. Time was not wasted.
1:07:57
And to the train, I now recognize we stand with you,
1:08:00
with the LGBTQ plus community. Please stand with you.
1:08:05
And you can raise fire drums all you want, Madam Chair, but we
1:08:08
stand with the LGBTQ plus community and you can gavel me.
1:08:13
To order this, this hearing will come to order.
1:08:17
This hearing will come to order. Madam Chair, this hearing will
1:08:20
come to order. Madam Chair.
1:08:22
This hearing will come to order I now recognize.
1:08:25
This point of order McClain From this I have a point of.
1:08:27
Order. Thank you, Madam Chair.
1:08:30
Let me tell you, Madam Chair. I just was, I had a point of
1:08:33
order. Could, could we just have the
1:08:35
time keeper, you know, log the time between both the Democrats
1:08:40
and Republicans and then we rebalance them so that we each
1:08:43
have equal time? That's that's pretty basic.
1:08:46
We'll we will. We will consider that.
1:08:47
Thank you. But Scott, no, no, no, no.
1:08:50
You took a minute of my talk. Sorry.
1:08:52
Suggestions. Those are the rules enough.
1:08:54
Enough. No, no, no, no.
1:08:55
You're wasting your time. That's not either we go, we are
1:08:58
keeping. Equal.
1:08:59
Time we're out of here. We're keeping equal time the
1:09:02
doors open. Miss McClain from Michigan is
1:09:05
now recognized. Thank you, Madam Chair.
1:09:10
Let me tell you what I'm here for.
1:09:13
I'm here to protect women and girls.
1:09:17
And for all of you young women and girls watching today, I hear
1:09:24
you. I hear your stories.
1:09:27
I hear your bullying stories. I hear your uncomfortableness
1:09:34
because you see, sometimes young women and girls get trampled
1:09:38
over. But let me tell you what I'm
1:09:41
here for. I'm here as a mother and as a
1:09:45
coach and as an athlete to stand up for the rights of women and
1:09:51
especially young girls. That's what I'm here for.
1:09:56
And in 1972, Title Nine of the Education Amendments prohibits
1:10:00
gender discrimination in all educational programs receiving
1:10:05
federal funds. And I'm here today because women
1:10:09
have had to fight for every God-given right.
1:10:14
And I'll be damned if we're going to go back on that.
1:10:17
When biological men invade women's spaces, our rights are
1:10:25
violated and our spaces are violated.
1:10:30
Now, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle constantly
1:10:33
talk about following the science.
1:10:36
But this makes it clear that this is merely A disingenuine
1:10:40
slogan. So let's follow the science for
1:10:44
a moment. Not opinions, but science.
1:10:47
So, Miss Graves, what is the average difference in skeletal
1:10:52
muscle between biological men and biological women?
1:10:57
So I'm definitely not a scientist, but I can tell you
1:11:00
about the studies that have been done looking at transgender
1:11:05
athletes, cisgender. Athletes, it's a great answer to
1:11:08
a question I didn't ask, so perhaps I can help.
1:11:11
You the answer is the answer. I think where you're trying to
1:11:14
go is. Is there an inherent?
1:11:17
Is there a biological difference between men and women?
1:11:20
In all contexts and the answer is no.
1:11:22
OK, let now. OK.
1:11:25
The answer? Is OK, let me educate you the
1:11:27
reason that I reclaiming my time there.
1:11:28
Is no because UCLA has studied this.
1:11:31
They did a study of. The gentlewoman's reclaimed her
1:11:34
time. Miss Maclean's record.
1:11:36
So I'll, I'll educate you. I'll tell you, men have 30 to
1:11:41
40% more skeletal muscle than biological women.
1:11:45
That's not right. That's not wrong.
1:11:47
That just is what it is. I was going to ask you what is
1:11:52
the difference in upper body strength, but I don't think you
1:11:54
know that either, so I'll answer that question for you as well.
1:11:59
Biological men exhibit 20 to 50% greater upper body strength and
1:12:06
25 to 30% lower lower body strength than biological women.
1:12:12
That's just the science, Miss Graves, you stated your
1:12:16
organization's mission is to ensure safety and opportunity
1:12:20
for all girls. Was Peyton McNabb safe on
1:12:24
September 1st of of 2022? It sounds like she definitely
1:12:28
wasn't. Thank you to her was tragic.
1:12:31
I would argue though that the answer is to ensure that people
1:12:34
can't spike volleyballs into people's heads.
1:12:37
That seems unsafe. Thank you for your answer, Miss
1:12:40
Graves, So I will reclaim my time on that.
1:12:44
So here's the here's the inherent problem.
1:12:48
If I would say I'm a six foot two blonde supermodel, you agree
1:12:51
with that statement. I know my husband does, but does
1:12:55
that make it true? I'm not sure he'll tell you all
1:12:57
because you're sitting down, but I'm assuming you're not blonde.
1:12:59
You look. Like a six foot two blonde.
1:13:01
Supermodel No. OK, but I but I identify as one.
1:13:05
OK, just because I identify as one doesn't make it true.
1:13:10
But let's go ahead and say for a moment, it's true.
1:13:13
The issue that I have for the young girls is you can live in
1:13:19
your reality. You can live in your reality.
1:13:22
But when your reality intrudes on my safety and puts another
1:13:31
person at harm or in harm's way, that's when I have a problem
1:13:37
with it. When you want to live in your
1:13:40
distorted reality, you can do that, but that doesn't mean
1:13:44
everybody else has to do that either.
1:13:47
Because I will ask you one other question.
1:13:50
Can a 43 year old man identify as a 13 year old boy, Miss
1:13:56
Graves? Can a?
1:13:59
40 Can a 43 year old man live in his reality of identifying as a
1:14:05
13 year old boy? This question makes me
1:14:08
understand that you. Well, this question is a
1:14:11
question that you need to answer that you refuse if we're going
1:14:14
to be who we want to be. Can I can a 43 year old man
1:14:18
identify as a 13 year old boy? That the witness can answer, but
1:14:22
the general lady's time has expired.
1:14:27
So here's the thing. It is.
1:14:31
Absolutely yes or no. So I, I actually, I'm hoping
1:14:35
that some people are watching and so that's why I'm trying to
1:14:38
provide some. With there's the gentlelady's
1:14:41
times expired. This is a yes or no question.
1:14:44
OK, I I would have loved to give a fuller answer.
1:14:48
My here is my answer to you. The answer is no, that an adult
1:14:55
can't be a child. Why they identify it?
1:15:00
OK, OK. Thank you very much.
1:15:02
Thank you for your for answering the question.
1:15:04
The gentlelady's time's expired. I now recognize the the witness
1:15:09
will suspend. I now recognize Miss Norton from
1:15:13
Washington DC for 5 minutes. This newly formed subcommittee
1:15:21
has been nothing but a sham so far this Congress.
1:15:26
But this hearing takes this subcommittee to a new low one of
1:15:31
hate and bigotry. I have spent my life fighting
1:15:34
for civil and human rights of all Americans.
1:15:37
I did so in the civil rights and women's rights movements, as a
1:15:42
lawyer, as chair of the New York City Commission on Human Rights,
1:15:46
and as chair of the United States Equal Employment
1:15:48
Opportunity Commission. And I do so now as the only
1:15:52
member of Congress representing the more than 700,000 residents
1:15:57
of the District of Columbia who denied voting representation in
1:16:01
Congress and full self government despite paying full
1:16:06
federal taxes. I am disgusted this subcommittee
1:16:11
would use its power to target transgender people.
1:16:15
But since the. Subcommittee is intent on
1:16:18
talking about safety. Let us talk about it.
1:16:21
Miss Goss Groves Goss Graves Last year, the Center for
1:16:29
American Progress found that nearly half of transgender adult
1:16:34
experienced discrimination in public spaces.
1:16:38
What kind of discrimination do transgender people face?
1:16:43
So transgender people face a wide amount of discrimination.
1:16:47
They have trouble getting higher.
1:16:49
They're more likely to experience harassment at work,
1:16:52
in school, in other settings. They experience violence
1:16:56
disproportionately. Transgender women experience
1:16:59
violence. So the the types and forms of
1:17:04
discrimination that the Equal Employment Opportunity
1:17:07
Commission used to track thoroughly what is vast and, and
1:17:13
could and should be the subject again of this of this committee.
1:17:17
The committee could look at the wide range of discrimination
1:17:21
that transgender individuals are experiencing at work and what is
1:17:27
happening now at the EEOC now that it is not treating that
1:17:32
type of discrimination in the same way that it used to.
1:17:36
Please discuss the violence transgender people face.
1:17:41
Well, it is. It is everything from sexual
1:17:45
violence to assault in a lot of different types of spaces.
1:17:51
Spaces that you know, one might feel safe or narrowly for for
1:17:56
trans people, especially when the rhetoric has increased,
1:18:01
especially when at the highest parts of our government, they
1:18:06
are suggesting that it is OK to insult and to make it seem like
1:18:11
transgender people are less than human.
1:18:17
And it is, You know what? I think both our laws and, and
1:18:22
you know, my moral compass requires that anytime there is
1:18:26
an organized effort to demonize a small group of people that we,
1:18:33
our laws have something to say about that we should scrutinize
1:18:36
the why we should make sure there isn't harm.
1:18:39
But my own moral compass, I will say, has something to say about
1:18:42
that about anytime a group of people experiences the level of
1:18:47
hate and discrimination and violence, it's up to all of us
1:18:51
to show up. Discrimination and violence
1:18:56
should never be acceptable. We cannot allow these against
1:19:01
anyone. Today's attack on transgender
1:19:04
people is a blatant attempt by the Republican majority to
1:19:08
distract from the real harm they are cause causing Americans
1:19:14
through their disastrous policies.
1:19:16
They are proposing taking away health care and food assistance
1:19:20
from 10s of millions of Americans to give tax cuts to
1:19:24
the wealthy and corporations. Miss Miss Goss Graves, If
1:19:29
Republicans make these cuts to Medicaid and food assistance,
1:19:36
how will this affect the health and well-being of women across
1:19:42
this country? It will be disastrous.
1:19:47
Almost half of births in this country are paid for by
1:19:51
Medicaid. Women around the country and
1:19:54
their families lives can be upended by having access to
1:19:59
healthcare one day and then not the other.
1:20:02
And it will also change access to healthcare in entire regions.
1:20:06
There are large parts of this country, especially in rural
1:20:09
areas, that do not have enough healthcare systems.
1:20:13
And if Medicaid is gutted, that will only make for more
1:20:18
healthcare deserts. And the last thing that I just
1:20:20
want to say about this is that Medicare is Medicaid is sort of
1:20:24
the backbone of long term care. So the gentlelady's time has
1:20:28
expired. I now recognize Mr. Cloud from
1:20:32
Texas. Thank you, Madam Chair, and I
1:20:35
appreciate you holding this hearing.
1:20:38
And I especially want to thank Miss Term and Snap for McNab for
1:20:41
being here and, and telling your stories, not only coming before
1:20:45
Congress and, and talking to us, which is bold and heroic in its
1:20:49
own right, but taking the stand that you've taken and for for
1:20:55
continuing to tell your story. I am sorry that you've been put
1:21:00
in this type of situation where you're at a critical moment in
1:21:04
our history where if this is an issue that we're having to deal
1:21:07
with. But I admire you for your
1:21:08
courage and, and thank you for being there.
1:21:12
As a committee, we're bringing this up in part because of the
1:21:15
Ted Stevens Act that Mister Leafield mentioned.
1:21:19
The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee is a congressionally
1:21:21
chartered entity under that act. And the USOPC, therefore, and
1:21:27
it's NGB derivatives, the national governing boards have
1:21:31
to abide by federal law. And so we have Title 9, which
1:21:34
says that that these organizations will not
1:21:38
discriminate based on sex. And then we have lately
1:21:42
executive orders where President Trump issued an executive order
1:21:45
keeping men out of women's sports.
1:21:48
I did this to rescind the funds from educational institutions
1:21:51
that deprive women and girls of their fair athletics
1:21:57
opportunities and to oppose male competitive participation in
1:22:00
women's sports more broadly for safety, fairness, dignity, and
1:22:04
truth. It's interesting to note that he
1:22:06
referenced in that a previous executive order 146168 in which
1:22:14
defined a female which it seems that the left has a very
1:22:18
difficult time doing a person belonging at conception to the
1:22:21
set sex that produces the large reproductive cell.
1:22:25
And so we have a pretty clear definition of the guidelines
1:22:27
that you should be operating by and other organizations that are
1:22:30
embracing sports and charter by. And so it does fall under our
1:22:34
jurisdiction as Congress to consider whether or not you and
1:22:38
these other organizations should be stripped of your
1:22:40
certification under the Ted Stevens Act.
1:22:42
And so we have to continue to look at this and, and make just
1:22:50
talk about this issue. A recent UN report that the
1:22:55
chairwoman mentioned notes that as of March 2024 / 600 female
1:23:02
athletes and more than 400 competitions had lost 890
1:23:05
medals, 29 different sports to males, explicitly concluding
1:23:10
that males have certain performance advantages in
1:23:13
sports, which Miss Graves seems to not agree with.
1:23:16
This report also notes that injuries have included knocked
1:23:19
out teeth, concussions resulting in neutral impairment, neural
1:23:22
impairment, broken legs and skull fractures.
1:23:25
And it boggles the mind, miss Graves, that at time and time
1:23:29
again, what we have is mediocre male athletes turning into
1:23:33
champions in women's sports. And you continue to think that
1:23:37
there's not an advantage. I I'm puzzled by that.
1:23:40
Is that a question? So how do you?
1:23:43
Yeah, I said. Well, first I just have to say
1:23:46
the idea that someone who identifies as a man would
1:23:51
instead live their entire life as.
1:23:55
A that that's not answering the question is how how a mediocre
1:23:58
competitor becomes a champion overnight do?
1:24:01
That the notion is. I'll I'll, I'll move on.
1:24:04
Absurd. If if you were to compare world
1:24:09
class world record times in track for women's sports
1:24:14
compared to the male Texas high school meet that happened just
1:24:20
recently, you would find that the male high schoolers beat
1:24:23
world record times virtually in every single race as female
1:24:28
world class record holders throughout history.
1:24:31
As someone who ran track in the past, I wonder if I can
1:24:34
retroactively identify and have be recertified as a world class
1:24:39
world champion as opposed to the media over track person.
1:24:43
Because that's not how the rules work, and I think that's part of
1:24:47
what I've been trying to explain.
1:24:48
To you, I wanted to ask you something Miss Livefelt, because
1:24:52
the press release from US Fencing talked about how you
1:24:55
came up with your site selection criteria, which the chairwoman
1:24:59
talked to. But I wanted to dig into it a
1:25:01
little bit because it says your source for analysis was
1:25:03
primarily the equality maps, the movement advance project.
1:25:08
Now, this is not, if you go to this site right now, what you
1:25:12
would find on its homepage is a bunch of voting turn out
1:25:15
information how we can advance leftist Marxist agenda,
1:25:19
primarily Democrat agenda all throughout the country.
1:25:22
There's maps to do it, ways to be engaged, all these kind of
1:25:24
things. This is not at all any sort of
1:25:26
nonpartisan sporting effort or anything along those lines.
1:25:31
And and one thing Doge has uncovered is been the fact that
1:25:36
all these NGOs have been funded. And thank you, Madam Chairman, I
1:25:41
apologize, I ran out of time. But the point is this, it's a
1:25:45
political organization, not any sort of non partisan.
1:25:50
Thank you. Thank you, the gentleman.
1:25:51
Time has expired. Mr. Lynch, from Massachusetts,
1:25:54
is now recognized for 5 minutes. Thank you, Madam Chair, and I
1:25:56
want to thank the witnesses for their willingness to testify
1:25:59
before this committee and help us with our work.
1:26:02
I do want to go back to the the point that the Ranking Member
1:26:06
raised, and she is correct in pointing out that the about the
1:26:10
lack of jurisdiction of this subcommittee for the matter
1:26:14
before us. This subcommittee was created
1:26:18
for the opportunity to confront the economic inefficiencies in
1:26:21
our government. And that's exactly why most
1:26:24
members chose to to serve on this subcommittee because of the
1:26:30
the issue involved. So this subcommittee could be
1:26:34
focusing on the layoffs that President Trump has executed
1:26:41
over 200,000 firings of federal employees, employees from the
1:26:47
EPA, employees from the Social Security Administration,
1:26:51
employees from the Nuclear Security Agency, employees from
1:26:56
the FAA, including air traffic controllers.
1:27:01
The President has fired NIH researchers working on
1:27:06
Alzheimer's and and and can't Cancer Research.
1:27:10
The subcommittee could be addressing the layoffs of 3000
1:27:14
workers at the VA. I mean, that does affect the
1:27:18
efficiency of our government programs.
1:27:22
President Trump laid off nurses, internists, physical therapists,
1:27:27
and staff who care for our wounded veterans all across
1:27:30
America. He's even laid off people from
1:27:33
the Veterans Suicide Hotline in the middle of a veteran suicide
1:27:38
crisis. This subcommittee could be
1:27:40
holding hearings to find out why we have 250,000 people veterans
1:27:46
on a waiting list for benefits and treatment at the VA and why
1:27:51
veterans should be waiting months for an appointment.
1:27:56
Veterans benefits are special, Madam Chair.
1:28:01
There are special obligations of our country because those
1:28:07
veterans benefits are obligations that exists because
1:28:12
of courageous service previously rendered by our veterans.
1:28:18
Every eligible veteran laying in a Ava hospital bed all across
1:28:23
this country has honorably served by definition to be
1:28:28
eligible for that care. They have honorably served in
1:28:33
uniform on behalf of this country, on behalf of us all.
1:28:39
And from Democrat to Republican administration, we have always
1:28:42
maintained that veterans benefits must, must be rendered.
1:28:49
We must keep our promise until now, until this administration.
1:28:55
Until now, we've also been hearing from farmers who are
1:29:01
dealing with Trump's tariffs all across America.
1:29:06
We could be addressing the impacts of the Trump tariffs on
1:29:10
all of our states. If those tariffs are impacting
1:29:15
the export market for cranberries in Massachusetts, I
1:29:18
can only imagine what's going on in Iowa and Georgia and Kansas
1:29:23
and Illinois and Indiana, the great state of Georgia with
1:29:32
$83.6 billion in agricultural production last year and 325,000
1:29:39
agricultural related jobs. That dwarfs what we have going
1:29:44
on in Massachusetts. And I hear plenty from from our
1:29:47
farmers and our bog operators. Madam Chair, since President
1:29:52
Trump launched tariffs against 140 countries at the same time,
1:29:57
and then they retaliated against us on our farmers, we've seen
1:30:05
the landscape change. Those 140 countries have shifted
1:30:10
their major contracts to places like Brazil, Venezuela, Canada,
1:30:14
Europe, and away from Iowa, Ohio, Georgia, Indiana and
1:30:19
Illinois. That's what we should be talking
1:30:23
about in this committee. You know, one of my first cases
1:30:26
as an attorney, I represented a women's swim team at one of our
1:30:30
local high schools, Boston Latin Academy.
1:30:33
So I believe firmly in women's rights in in, in athletics.
1:30:40
We've come too far to let that regress.
1:30:45
But I hope someday we actually have a hearing here to talk
1:30:48
about gender dysphoria or gender incongruence so we can get
1:30:54
doctors and families in there whose families and kids are
1:30:57
suffering from that disorder, rather than simply punching down
1:31:02
at some of the weakest people and most vulnerable people in
1:31:05
our society. Madam Chair, I thank you for
1:31:07
your courtesy and I yield back. The gentleman yields, and now?
1:31:11
Madam Chair had some items to submit for the record.
1:31:13
That's. Yes, go ahead.
1:31:16
Wanted to submit for the Record a November 22, 2003?
1:31:20
Here's the latest on USA Fencing Tournament site selection.
1:31:25
It's personally from the US Fencing Tournament. the US track
1:31:29
and field statement regarding transgender transsexual policy.
1:31:33
The USA Gymnastics transgender and non non binary athletic
1:31:37
inclusion statement. the US weightlifting athlete gender
1:31:41
inclusion competitive equity and eligibility policy.
1:31:45
The US Tennis Association, Transgender policy, inclusion
1:31:48
policy, and finally, ironically, the National Women's Soccer
1:31:52
League. I'm not sure if they know what
1:31:53
women is, but their policy on transgender athletes.
1:31:57
Without objection, so ordered, I now recognize Mr. Fallon from
1:32:01
Texas. Madam Chair, thank you.
1:32:03
For the next 5 minutes, we're going to live within the bounds
1:32:05
of reality and actually use real science.
1:32:09
Human beings with an XY chromosome will be referred to
1:32:12
as male or men. Human beings with an XX
1:32:15
chromosome will be referred to as female or woman.
1:32:19
Mr. Layfeld, what is your current position within USA
1:32:23
Fencing? I'm the chair of the board of
1:32:25
the director, Sir. OK.
1:32:26
And in that role, is it fair to say that you celebrate
1:32:30
transparency and promote fairness?
1:32:32
I would certainly hope so, Sir. All right.
1:32:34
Great. Congress has oversight over USA
1:32:37
Fencing. Are you here today to testify of
1:32:39
your own volition? I'm here to testify on behalf of
1:32:43
the US of your own volition. Did you come voluntarily?
1:32:46
No, Sir. I was subpoenaed.
1:32:47
You had to be subpoenaed, Is that correct?
1:32:49
Yes, Sir. I have to give you an F on that
1:32:51
count right here for transparency.
1:32:54
Let's go. Did you recently change your
1:32:57
social media profile from public to private?
1:33:00
I did, Sir. OK.
1:33:02
Was that before or after you got when that you might end up being
1:33:05
here today? That was around the time that I
1:33:07
was receiving death threats and anti-Semitic messages.
1:33:10
Also happened to be right after you found out that you might be
1:33:12
here, correct? I can't recall Sir, specifically
1:33:16
when I went private. It's April 14th and you did it
1:33:19
after, so I'm going to give you another F2 counts for
1:33:22
transparency. Let's talk about fairness
1:33:23
because you said you wanted to be fair.
1:33:27
There are two competitive classes in USA Fencing.
1:33:29
Yes, two divisions, men and women.
1:33:31
That's correct Sir. Why is that?
1:33:33
There's also a mixed event, I should add a mixed event is a
1:33:36
plurality of our events. But you have, but to be specific
1:33:39
because we have limited time. You have a male division and a
1:33:41
female division, is that correct?
1:33:42
We also have a mixed. Do you have a male division and
1:33:45
a female division? Yes, we have a male division.
1:33:48
We have a female division. We also have mixed events which
1:33:50
represent a plurality. Do you allow men to compete
1:33:53
against women in mixed events, Sir?
1:33:56
OK, but not again there are there is a distinct class for
1:34:00
just women. Yes, yes, there is a thank you.
1:34:04
We're getting somewhere now that is because I think you would
1:34:07
agree that in general, maybe not because Miss Graves doesn't that
1:34:10
men inherent inherently have some physical attributes that
1:34:13
prove that give them an advantage is that Would you
1:34:16
agree with that? I would agree to an extent, Sir.
1:34:19
Let's go out. Let's talk about no, I'm going
1:34:22
to reclaim my time because for instance, there is increased
1:34:25
muscle mass, generally speaking with men, which makes them
1:34:28
faster and stronger. They're better adapted with
1:34:31
cardio respiratory capacity, lungs perhaps with endurance.
1:34:34
Men are generally taller, have stronger bones and they have
1:34:37
different skeletal structures. You got to know this.
1:34:40
The pelvis in men are more narrow in this small Q angle
1:34:43
that attach the hip to the the knee joint.
1:34:46
That's important because the more narrow that Q angle is, the
1:34:50
more force than you can project. Now that's only important in
1:34:54
sports that require standing, squatting, kicking or pedaling.
1:34:59
And then you also have a sex difference in the angle of the
1:35:01
humerus and the ulna at the elbow.
1:35:04
And the more narrow and the smaller that angle is, that
1:35:08
projects more force upon extension in only sports that
1:35:11
involve throwing, ha thrusting like in fencing, hitting a bat,
1:35:15
racket or stick. So like for instance, what my
1:35:19
colleague said, Will Thomas was 460, second best male swimmer
1:35:24
for three years and then he was winning events when he competed
1:35:27
with women. Female gold medalists in the
1:35:30
hundred 408 hundred would not even qualify to compete for the
1:35:34
gold in the men's division marathon.
1:35:36
The best marathon female would be 90th against the men.
1:35:39
Best triathlete female would be 50th against men.
1:35:42
And Major League Baseball has had exactly 0 women play on an
1:35:47
opening day roster. NFLNHLNBA.
1:35:49
Again, zero. So let me ask you this question.
1:35:52
I'm very curious to hear your answer.
1:35:53
Yes, Sir. Would you allow, do you think
1:35:55
it's fair for a man that identifies as a man to directly
1:36:00
compete against a woman in a mixed event?
1:36:03
Sir? OK, so you think that's fine?
1:36:08
A man can can compete against a woman in the women's division.
1:36:13
In the women's division, Sir, they must go through one year,
1:36:16
right? Right.
1:36:17
So what I'm saying, so I'm a man that's identifying as a man.
1:36:20
Cannot you don't you're not cool with them fencing against women.
1:36:25
Men compete a bit against women in mixed events all the time.
1:36:27
So they're a plurality of our events.
1:36:29
And who who generally wins those?
1:36:32
The recent data that we pulled showed that cisgender men
1:36:36
prevailed in 64%. So cisgender men are men.
1:36:39
OK, let's just call it for what it is.
1:36:41
Yeah, right. So the bottom line is this, even
1:36:44
when you go through hormone treatments, you know this, it
1:36:48
doesn't reduce your height, it doesn't shrink your bones, it
1:36:49
doesn't decrease your lung capacity, it doesn't alter your
1:36:52
skeletal structure. There's exactly 0 studies in the
1:36:55
world that show that any amount of hormone therapy will
1:36:58
ultimately result in parity between men and women.
1:37:01
It doesn't exist. The IOC just did a study with
1:37:03
800 men and even after a year they retained 83% advantage.
1:37:07
This is absolute lunacy. It's crazy.
1:37:09
But you crazies, you keep being crazy and we'll see you November
1:37:12
of 26. I yield back.
1:37:13
Thank you the. Ask for unanimous consent.
1:37:17
Without objection, so ordered. I'd like to ask for unanimous
1:37:21
consent to enter a article from NPR titled What has Doge done in
1:37:26
Trump's first 100 days into the USA Fencing Subcommittee of the
1:37:30
Oversight Committee. I now recognize Mr. Garcia from
1:37:35
California for 5 minutes. Thank you, Chairwoman.
1:37:39
I I wanted to start, of course, by thanking all of our witnesses
1:37:42
for being here today. I appreciate your your time.
1:37:45
I've said from the beginning and from our first DOGE subcommittee
1:37:49
meeting that we've really not talked about government
1:37:52
efficiency or any real serious legislative work.
1:37:54
But even I am surprised that this subcommittee is now
1:37:57
apparently in charge of policing women's sports.
1:38:00
Now, this is nothing to do with our committee's jurisdiction, as
1:38:03
said earlier, and nothing to do with helping the American
1:38:06
people. Now Republicans in Congress are
1:38:08
trying to destroy our healthcare and social safety net, as we've
1:38:11
seen them do over and over again.
1:38:13
Elon Musk is destroying critical medical research programs.
1:38:16
We have a measles outbreak. We have an anti vax health
1:38:19
secretary. But apparently this committee
1:38:22
wants to spend its time bullying trans kids and athletes and
1:38:26
arguing about fencing tournaments.
1:38:28
This is not only outrageous, it's also dangerous.
1:38:32
Now this is a committee supposed to be about saving taxpayer
1:38:35
dollars. And let's be really clear, Mr.
1:38:39
Layfeld, USA Fencing doesn't receive large taxpayer funded
1:38:43
grants and doesn't really receive federal funding.
1:38:46
Is that correct? Sir?
1:38:47
We do not receive a penny in federal funding.
1:38:49
So you do not receive a penny of federal funding.
1:38:52
And we're spending our time in the Government Efficiency
1:38:54
Committee debating A fencing tournament and your association,
1:38:58
that of you which receive no federal dollars.
1:39:01
Let's be clear, all kids and people deserve to be able to
1:39:05
participate in sports, and USA Fencing and other sports have
1:39:09
the right to layout rules to make sure their sport is fair
1:39:12
and safe. And we know that transgender
1:39:15
youth and athletes experience all kinds of mistreatment
1:39:18
because of their gender identity.
1:39:20
This includes bullying in schools, family rejection,
1:39:24
threats of violence even by some in Congress, and other
1:39:27
discrimination. Now, sports participation can
1:39:31
actually help overcome some of this vulnerability.
1:39:34
Now, we have a wide range of views on this committee, but I
1:39:36
want to make sure that they're are people are aware there is
1:39:38
some bipartisan consensus. Here's a quote from one of my
1:39:42
Republican colleagues who's actually on this committee
1:39:45
today, which I want to read. I find it encouraging.
1:39:47
It says I strongly support LGBTQ rights and equality.
1:39:51
No one should be discriminated against.
1:39:54
I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.
1:39:57
Understanding how they feel and how they've been treated is
1:40:00
important. Having been around gay, lesbian
1:40:03
and transgender people has informed my opinion over my
1:40:08
lifetime. Now, Miss Goss Graves, do you
1:40:11
know who who said this by any chance?
1:40:14
I I don't know. This was actually Congresswoman
1:40:16
Nancy Mace, who's I know weighed on to our committee today.
1:40:19
Now, Madam Chair, I'd like to insert into the record this
1:40:22
article on CNN that says titled Nancy Mace now targeting
1:40:26
transgender lawmaker calls herself pro transgender rights
1:40:30
in 2023. Madam Chairwoman.
1:40:35
Without objection. Thank you.
1:40:37
Now, Congresswoman Mace, of course, is is here today.
1:40:39
Now in November of just last year, Congresswoman Mace posted
1:40:43
326 times on social media about trans people and their access to
1:40:49
bathrooms in just 172 hour period.
1:40:52
That's a fact. So I'd like to introduce another
1:40:55
article from Newsweek and it's entitled This is the the title
1:40:58
Nancy Mace has posted 326 times in the last 72 hours about
1:41:03
bathrooms. Madam Chair, can I reduce this
1:41:05
into the record? Without objection.
1:41:08
Thank you. I I point this out because it's
1:41:09
actually important context. Republicans accuse Democrats of
1:41:13
focusing too much on LGBTQ plus issues or trans issues.
1:41:17
But we want to talk about protecting Social Security.
1:41:20
We want to talk about protecting the cost of living.
1:41:22
We want to talk about lowering prices.
1:41:24
We want to make sure that all people have healthcare.
1:41:27
But Republicans are so obsessed with demonizing trans people
1:41:31
that we are wasting time in our government efficiency committee
1:41:34
talking about trans people that like fencing.
1:41:37
Now let's remember, according to congressional testimony from the
1:41:41
head of the NCAA, there are less than 10 trans college athletes
1:41:45
in 2024. That's less than 10 out of half
1:41:48
a million total NCAA athletes, less than 10 out of half a
1:41:53
million. Now, Congresswoman Mace has
1:41:55
posted about this issue hundreds and hundreds of times.
1:41:58
That's equal to hundreds of individual posts per athlete.
1:42:03
All the while, we're ignoring the real issues.
1:42:06
I want to remind everyone that we've seen 935 confirmed cases
1:42:11
of the measles as of May 1st. According to the CDC, nearly
1:42:15
1000 children are getting sick while a country is hit by crisis
1:42:18
after crisis. Let's focus on the 930 adults
1:42:22
and kids with measles versus is the 10 trans athletes that are
1:42:25
participating in college sports. It is obvious to the American
1:42:29
public that this issue is being exploited by extremists to
1:42:32
divide the American public. It's shameful.
1:42:35
It's been clear that DOGE is not about government efficiency.
1:42:38
It's an attack on vulnerable people.
1:42:40
And with that I yield back. The gentleman yields.
1:42:42
I now recognize Mr. Timmons from South Carolina.
1:42:47
Thank you, Madam Chair, We are here today to shine a light not
1:42:50
only on the integrity of women's sports, but on how government
1:42:53
backed institutions chartered by Congress may be misusing that
1:42:57
authority to push controversial policies that violate basic
1:43:00
human rights and disregard their congressionally authorized
1:43:04
mission. When an organization abuses
1:43:06
authority delegated by the government, it is within the
1:43:09
purview of the subcommittee, plain and simple.
1:43:11
I realized my colleagues across the I don't understand that USA
1:43:13
Fencing is a national governing body for the sport of fencing in
1:43:17
the United States, officially recognized under the Ted Stevens
1:43:20
Olympic and Amateur Sports Act. That designation is not just
1:43:23
ceremonial, it is a chartered monopoly backed by federal law
1:43:27
and accompanied by special privileges and funding access.
1:43:30
That status comes with an expectation that NGB serve all
1:43:35
athletes equitably, promote excellence and adhere to
1:43:37
national interest, not ideological crusades.
1:43:41
Yeah, recent events raised serious questions about whether
1:43:43
USA Fencing has abandoned its mandate, is wasting resources,
1:43:46
undermining athletes and jeopardizing the integrity of
1:43:49
women's sports, all while flying under the flag of a federal
1:43:53
endorsement. We've heard USA Fencing speak
1:43:56
about inclusion, but what about transparency and fairness,
1:43:59
especially toward female athletes like Stephanie?
1:44:02
We are having this hearing for women's rights, and we know the
1:44:04
difference between a man and a woman.
1:44:06
That's why we are here. Stephanie Turner and Pat
1:44:08
Mcnabb's rights have been violated.
1:44:11
What's worse is they have been violated by an entity operating
1:44:13
under the color of federal law, an organization that bears the
1:44:16
name of our great country as bestowed by Congress in 1978.
1:44:19
And I can assure you that in 1978, the members that voted for
1:44:22
this law would be horrified. They would be horrified that we
1:44:27
have to have this hearing. Mr. Liefeldt, you state you said
1:44:31
earlier that the Ted Stevens Act prohibited you prohibited you
1:44:35
from discriminating against biological men that identify as
1:44:40
women. What what, what are you
1:44:42
referencing? Congressman, I, I may have
1:44:45
misspoke. I don't recall saying that.
1:44:48
Could you remind me specifically what what my words were in that
1:44:51
specifically said that the the statute you were statutorily
1:44:54
prohibited from telling transgender men that they are
1:44:58
not allowed to participate in women's competitions?
1:45:02
Sir, I believe what I was referring to is a statute within
1:45:05
the Ted Stevens Amateur Sports Act which prevents any NGB from
1:45:09
being more restrictive than their International Federation.
1:45:11
We have consulted with very competent legal counsel.
1:45:14
Are you familiar with the executive order signed by
1:45:17
President Trump right here? Yes, Sir.
1:45:19
OK. So, Madam Chair, I'd like to
1:45:21
submit this for the record. Without objection.
1:45:23
So a couple things. One, this executive order
1:45:26
prohibits all entities that receive federal funds, which I
1:45:30
know you do not of allowing transgender men to compete in
1:45:33
women's sports. So that's basically your entire
1:45:35
pipeline. Your main purpose is to be
1:45:37
competitive is to is to figure out who we're going to send to
1:45:39
the Olympics or one of your main purposes is that is that fair?
1:45:42
That's correct, Sir. OK, so you have women that are
1:45:45
participating in high school and in college and they're never
1:45:50
going to compete against transgender men because that's
1:45:52
federally prohibited. And by the way, this executive
1:45:55
order also says that the Secretary of State shall use all
1:45:57
appropriate and available measures to see that the
1:45:59
International Olympic Committee amends the standard governing.
1:46:02
We're going to fix this, and you're lagging behind us fixing
1:46:07
it. And what's going to happen is
1:46:10
we're going to amend the Ted Stevens Act to literally, you're
1:46:14
going to lose your federal charger.
1:46:15
And I appreciate that you did adopt A contingent policy, but
1:46:19
why do we have to do this? You're really creating a problem
1:46:22
where no problem should should actually exist.
1:46:24
And if all this isn't enough, I'm going to just highlight
1:46:27
something you had on your website.
1:46:29
I mean, this is just pretty insane.
1:46:31
What statutory or moral authority is granted to USA
1:46:34
Fencing? And it's chartered to determine
1:46:36
who in our society is oppressed. Congressman, forgive me, I
1:46:40
can't. This is on your website.
1:46:43
And but if I, if I could go back to something you were saying
1:46:45
before, Sir, about changing the law and what you were talking
1:46:48
about, the executive order. Sure, sure.
1:46:50
All right. Thank you, Sir.
1:46:52
We will be prepared to pivot as soon as the Ted Stevens Amateur
1:46:55
Sports Act changes. You might get the FIE, the IOCI
1:46:59
mean. I have a feeling that we're
1:47:00
going to write the statute in a way that if this is a problem,
1:47:03
when the statute becomes law, we're probably going to have
1:47:05
some additional clauses in there that removes rights and
1:47:08
abilities. But look, you do you.
1:47:10
And we will follow the law, Sir. The law is going to be punitive,
1:47:14
I can assure you of that. We're not going to let this
1:47:16
stand and it's going to get fixed.
1:47:18
And anyways, I want to go back to this.
1:47:20
So you say on your website that so Vietnam Veterans are an
1:47:28
oppressed group versus veterans. Why does a veteran of a war in
1:47:35
Afghanistan or Iraq have is, how is the Vietnam better than
1:47:42
oppressed? Sir, I've actually never seen
1:47:45
this, but I want to be clear. We have an appreciation for all
1:47:48
of our veterans. We have many who have one.
1:47:51
One individual who served our country admirably was disabled
1:47:54
by an IED in Iraq. And we very, very much
1:47:56
appreciate all of our veterans, Sir, without a thank you.
1:48:00
Madam Chairwoman, I'd like to ask for unanimous consent to
1:48:03
enter something into the record. Without objection.
1:48:06
Madam Chairwoman, I'd like to enter an article from USA TODAY
1:48:10
entitled Millions of people would lose Their Coverage under
1:48:13
Trump backed GOP plan to cut Medicaid.
1:48:16
This is the CBO score that came out today we want to talk about.
1:48:20
Without objection. Without objection, so.
1:48:23
Ordered of Americans that will lose.
1:48:24
We're not reading the article without objection, so ordered
1:48:27
just the just the title. I now recognize Mr. Kassar from
1:48:31
Texas. Madam Chairwoman, I want to
1:48:36
start off by acknowledging that this morning the nonpartisan
1:48:40
Congressional Budget Office announced that more than 5
1:48:44
million Americans can lose their health care because of the
1:48:48
Medicaid cuts being pushed by Republican members of Congress.
1:48:53
So of course, Republicans on the Government Efficiency Committee
1:48:57
are holding an emergency hearing on semi pro fencing, Not fences
1:49:04
like the kind that goes around a building, but like the sport
1:49:08
with the swords. And I've knocked on thousands of
1:49:12
doors and talked to thousands of Republican, independent and
1:49:15
Democratic voters in my career. And not a single time has
1:49:19
someone flung open their door and said, thank God you're here.
1:49:23
Congressman, I want to ask you about transgender people
1:49:27
fencing. It's just never happened.
1:49:30
I've never even met a fencer before.
1:49:32
I've just seen it on the Parent Trap.
1:49:35
I'm sure it's a great sport, but what the hell are we doing here?
1:49:39
Seriously. We are here because Chairwoman
1:49:43
Marjorie Taylor Green thinks that if she picks on vulnerable
1:49:47
people like trans folks, she can avoid having a discussion about
1:49:52
the allegations of insider trading against her.
1:49:54
She thinks that she can distract from the fact that Trump and
1:49:58
MAGA Republicans are raising your costs every single day,
1:50:02
suppressing your wages every single day, stealing your
1:50:04
taxpayer dollars every single day, and threatening your health
1:50:07
care. That's the reason we're at this
1:50:10
crazy hearing today. Here we are in a subcommittee
1:50:14
supposedly about government efficiency, spending hours upon
1:50:18
hours trashing trans people and talking about trans folks in
1:50:22
sports. There's more members on this
1:50:26
committee than there are trans people in all of college sports.
1:50:32
Of the 500,000 student athletes in America, about 10 of them are
1:50:38
trans, not 10,010. In Olympics, there are even
1:50:45
fewer. So in my opinion, sports leagues
1:50:48
will do a much better job than politicians up here on this
1:50:52
committee coming up with fair and thoughtful ways of handling
1:50:56
who does and who does not qualify for which sports.
1:51:00
But I think that instead of picking on LGBT people,
1:51:04
politicians in this country should be singularly focused on
1:51:08
improving the economy for every single working American.
1:51:11
That's my crazy idea. Miss Goss Graves, Republicans
1:51:17
have called an emergency hearing on trans athletes in the sport
1:51:21
of fencing today. Can you tell me how many college
1:51:25
fencers are there total in the entire United States?
1:51:29
I think about 1000. Compare that to Do you know how
1:51:32
many people rely on Medicaid in this country?
1:51:35
That's more like 80 million. And Social Security.
1:51:39
That's more like 70 million. So 80 million people rely on
1:51:44
Medicaid, 70 million people on Social Security.
1:51:47
We're talking about 1000 college fencers.
1:51:51
Period. How many hearings do you think
1:51:54
this committee has held on Elon Musk pushing Social Security to
1:51:58
the brink of collapse? Oh my God.
1:52:01
I don't think any. 0 hearings? How about how many hearings have
1:52:06
we had about the millions of Americans who could lose
1:52:08
Medicaid because of the cuts Republicans are pushing today?
1:52:12
0. That is correct. 0 hearings on
1:52:17
these issues that impact us all. Republicans have called hearing
1:52:20
after hearing obsessed with trans folks in sports, which of
1:52:24
course only effects a tiny sliver of Americans.
1:52:28
But no hearings on Medicaid, no hearings on Social Security, no
1:52:32
hearings on raising wages and lowering costs.
1:52:35
So if you're sitting at home watching, you need to know the
1:52:38
goal of this hearing is for Republicans to distract you from
1:52:42
their own lies, their own corruption, and their own
1:52:45
failure. The goal of this hearing is to
1:52:47
make sure that Fox News has something to talk about other
1:52:50
than Elon Musk getting billions of dollars a year in government
1:52:53
contracts while cutting services for you.
1:52:57
The goal of this hearing is to make sure that Fox News has
1:53:00
something else to talk about other than Chairwoman Marjorie
1:53:03
Taylor Green's alleged insider trade trading.
1:53:06
It's a sick reality right now in American politics that right
1:53:09
wing Republican officials think that picking on trans people is
1:53:12
how they'll earn more votes and raise more money.
1:53:15
They pick on Americans that are already facing discrimination
1:53:18
and violence, and they're making those challenges worse.
1:53:20
They're trying to pull the oldest trick in the book.
1:53:23
Next time you go vote, ask yourself if these second rate
1:53:27
schoolyard bullies are looking out for you or if they're
1:53:30
scammers just like the man that holds their leash.
1:53:35
The gentleman's time has expired.
1:53:37
It's important to point out that Democrat members today are not
1:53:41
asking the two young ladies that are here representing their
1:53:46
sports. And this is what the hearing is
1:53:48
about today. I now recognize Chairman Comer
1:53:51
from Kentucky. Thank you.
1:53:52
Madam Chair. I'm going to start with a quick
1:53:54
round of yes or no questions for each of our four witnesses.
1:53:57
So please keep your answers. For my first two questions, say
1:54:00
yes or no for time's sake. First question, do you believe
1:54:04
biological men should compete in women's sports?
1:54:08
Miss Turner? No.
1:54:09
Miss McNabb. No.
1:54:11
Mr. Lay felt if they comply with the requirements, Sir.
1:54:16
So is that a yes or no? It's if they comply with the
1:54:19
requirements that have been set by our policy, they deserve to
1:54:22
compete by the President's policy, by the policy of USA
1:54:27
Fencing. Miss.
1:54:28
Miss Gray, I'm going to take that as a yes.
1:54:32
Miss Miss Graves. I agree with Mr. Lay felt that
1:54:36
trans women should be able to compete in the sport in
1:54:40
accordance with their gender identity.
1:54:41
So 2 Nos and two yeses. Second and last question for yes
1:54:45
or no. Should biological men be able to
1:54:47
get scholarships to College in women's sports?
1:54:52
Miss Turner. No.
1:54:54
Miss McNabb. No.
1:54:56
Mr. Lay felt They can't get them anymore, Sir.
1:54:59
They can't get them anymore. So do you believe yes or no?
1:55:03
They should. You have a personal opinion on
1:55:05
that? I don't really have an opinion
1:55:07
on that, Sir. Miss Graves.
1:55:10
I'm actually concerned about the 10s of thousands of women in
1:55:14
this country who play college sports who have fewer
1:55:18
scholarship opportunities than men.
1:55:20
I would that this would actually be a.
1:55:23
Really important. So you are concerned that a man
1:55:26
would get a common scholarship that should go to a woman?
1:55:29
It's my understanding that there's less than 10 transgender
1:55:32
women playing sports, but I know that.
1:55:34
Mr. Layfeld. Thousands of women.
1:55:36
Mr. Layfeld, on the website, I know my colleague Mr. Timmons
1:55:40
talked about it, there are some troubling statements.
1:55:44
There's a page titled, and I think he referenced it, Power
1:55:47
and privilege. This page promotes woke content
1:55:51
stating that people who are white, Christian, middle class,
1:55:54
English speaking are all privileged and we should be
1:55:57
asking if they're quote the right person to take up space or
1:56:01
speak on certain issues. Your blog and social media posts
1:56:04
consistently express similar views, So I assume you support
1:56:07
the ideas on that web page, Sir, I'm not I'm not sure about the
1:56:13
specific area of the web page that that you're referring to.
1:56:16
As a board member, I focus primarily on governance and you
1:56:19
know, if there's something that's operational, I, I stay
1:56:21
very far away from that. So you disavow your website.
1:56:27
Is it I'm, I'm just not sure of the specific area of the
1:56:31
website. Is it my website?
1:56:33
Is it the USA Fencing website, Sir, that the USA Fencing
1:56:36
website. OK, I, I just not familiar with
1:56:39
the area that you're referring to, Sir.
1:56:40
OK, the reason we, we're the reason that's odd is because
1:56:44
your, your blog that we looked at expressed a similar view.
1:56:47
So because I, you know, you appear to be white English
1:56:50
speaking male like, like me. So I, I didn't know, you know,
1:56:55
there was just an odd, odd opinion.
1:56:58
You don't have any comment on that.
1:57:01
You don't know anything about it.
1:57:03
I'm just Sir, in all honesty, I'm not not following the
1:57:05
question. You're not following the
1:57:08
question about the USA Fencing website that has just a lot of,
1:57:12
you know, concerning content on there that some would consider
1:57:18
racist, discriminatory, or you don't have any.
1:57:22
That's not a concern or anything.
1:57:24
I just, if you link me to the specific part of the website, I
1:57:27
could get back to you with an opinion, but I'm just not
1:57:29
following. We'll get you, we'll get you a
1:57:30
copy of your website that Mister Timmons just just referenced.
1:57:35
So, Mr. Layfeld, let me ask a simple question.
1:57:41
Do you support transgender women, which are biological men
1:57:46
competing in women's events if they comply with the policy?
1:57:50
Sir, which policy? What?
1:57:55
What? Whose policy are you going by
1:57:57
What? What is that your Should that be
1:57:58
the policy? Should men be allowed You're
1:58:01
you're a leader in this show. Some leadership should Should
1:58:05
men be able to compete in women's fencing?
1:58:09
Sir, our policy was passed in 2022 prior to my joining the
1:58:12
board. But right now, anybody who goes
1:58:15
through on your SO So you're OK with it?
1:58:18
You're OK. You don't have a problem in the
1:58:19
world with it. You knew this hearing was coming
1:58:21
up. You knew this was the topic of
1:58:23
the conversation. You don't have an opinion on the
1:58:29
policy. Are you going to change the
1:58:30
policy? Sir, we, we've passed a
1:58:33
contingency policy at this time due to the Ted Stevens Amateur
1:58:37
Sports Act. Our council has advised us that
1:58:39
we cannot have a policy that's more restricted than our
1:58:42
International Federation. I want to be clear that if
1:58:44
Congress or the IOC or the F, IE or International Federation
1:58:49
changes the policy to ban transgender participation, we
1:58:52
will of course follow suit. Look, I think the people the
1:58:56
majority of this Congress is committed to protecting women in
1:59:01
women's sports. NBC News poll asked when asked
1:59:06
if they agree or disagree with change transgender women
1:59:08
competing in women's sports, 75% disagree.
1:59:10
This is one of those 8020 issues that the the my colleagues on
1:59:14
other side want to the hill they want to down.
1:59:17
So we're going to try to protect women's sports.
1:59:19
Thank you for having this hearing, Madam Chair, and I
1:59:21
yield back. Thank you.
1:59:23
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Madam Chair, I'd like to ask for
1:59:25
unanimous consent. Without objection.
1:59:29
I'd like to enter into the record a New York Times article
1:59:32
entitled The GOP plans to cut Medicaid would Save billions but
1:59:36
Leave More uninsured. Budget Office says that's what
1:59:40
we're actually outraged. Without objection, so ordered, I
1:59:43
now recognize Mr. Burchett from Tennessee.
1:59:47
Oversight Republican. I now record.
1:59:49
You're not recognized, Miss Stansbury.
1:59:51
You're not recognized. Oh, I'm sorry.
1:59:53
We're going to. Come while they're trying to
1:59:54
cut. Actually, Miss Stansbury, you're
1:59:56
not recognized. I now recognize Miss Crockett
1:59:58
from Texas. Thank you so much.
2:00:00
It is so interesting that I just learned today at 44 years old
2:00:06
that the Republicans are going to be the ones to save women.
2:00:08
The same Republicans that have been saved for women's
2:00:12
reproductive acts, or the same Republicans that have stood for
2:00:16
the Equal Rights Act, which would hopefully get women to
2:00:19
equal pay. Or the same Republicans that
2:00:21
just this Congress voted for the SAVE Act, which we know would
2:00:25
disenfranchise women from even being able to vote.
2:00:28
But. Let me tell you, they are our
2:00:29
saviors. And so I am so happy to be here
2:00:32
today because otherwise I would not have an idea that I had a
2:00:36
savior in the Republicans. So let's also talk about the
2:00:40
fact that it's only been 100 days, 100 long terrible days for
2:00:45
anybody that absolutely believes in reality.
2:00:48
Because what we know is that they have terminated staff
2:00:50
responsible for enforcing federal protections against sex
2:00:54
based discrimination. Sounds like that's pro women.
2:00:56
Or they've cut funding for domestic violence survivor
2:00:59
services. Sounds pro woman to me.
2:01:01
Or they've prohibited funding for research affecting Women's
2:01:04
Health. That definitely sounds pro women
2:01:06
to me. Essentially they closed the
2:01:08
Department of Education's office of civil rights.
2:01:11
Again, sounds like they are fighting for us.
2:01:14
And instead of providing oversight over these actions,
2:01:17
congressional Republicans have been working to execute one of
2:01:19
the most aggressive anti women legislative agendas in history.
2:01:23
And yet they're here today trying to convince the American
2:01:27
people that discriminating against trans people is somehow
2:01:30
the only way to protect women. This hearing has nothing to do
2:01:33
with improving government efficiency.
2:01:35
It's another attempt by Republicans to distract from
2:01:37
their demonic and disastrous policies that are making it more
2:01:40
difficult for Americans to make ends meet.
2:01:43
So, Miss Goss Graves, I want to play a game.
2:01:47
It's called Trump or trans. You ready?
2:01:50
So I'm gonna ask you a question, and I want you to tell me
2:01:53
whether or not it is Trump or trans people that are
2:01:55
responsible. You understand?
2:01:57
OK. Very good.
2:01:58
The first one good at medical research.
2:02:01
Trump. Kidnapping Americans and sending
2:02:04
them to foreign countries, AKA deporting them.
2:02:07
Trump. Driving us into a recession.
2:02:11
Trump. Increasing the cost of
2:02:12
everything. Trump.
2:02:14
Waging an idiotic terror of war. Trump.
2:02:17
Harming farmers? Trump.
2:02:19
Ignoring the Constitution. Trump.
2:02:22
Proposing to take away Social Security.
2:02:24
Trump. Cutting health care?
2:02:26
Trump. Firing government workers who
2:02:28
keep our country safe. Trump.
2:02:30
Encouraging an environment of hate and divisiveness.
2:02:34
Trump. Thank you so much.
2:02:37
This committee could be engaged in actual oversight of fraud,
2:02:40
waste, abuse and mismanagement. So let's talk about waste.
2:02:44
Like Trump's plan to spend almost $100 million for his
2:02:47
little birthday parade. Or how he spent 25% of his first
2:02:51
100 days golfing, costing taxpayers 10s of millions of
2:02:55
dollars. In fact, it's a little bit over
2:02:57
30 million at our last estimation.
2:02:59
In fact, President Trump is on pace to spend more than a
2:03:02
billion dollars of taxpayer dollars just on golfing, yet the
2:03:07
Republicans have been silent. So they must think spending
2:03:10
taxpayer dollars on the president's golfing trips is
2:03:13
more important than providing health care to their
2:03:15
constituents. And when I talk about
2:03:16
constituents, we don't talk about the ones on this
2:03:18
committee. So if we look at Texas, 2639
2:03:22
thousand children look to potentially lose their Medicaid
2:03:26
with the cuts that they are about to vote on for
2:03:29
reconciliation. 88,000 in Georgia 360-8000 in Missouri 7.
2:03:35
79,000 in Tennessee 286 thousand, in South Carolina 450
2:03:40
thousand in Texas O 480-5000 in Texas 27 and in Georgia 14111
2:03:47
thousand. And if you add that up just on
2:03:49
this committee, we have 606,000 kids that are relying on us to
2:03:54
do right by them. And instead we playing these
2:03:56
crazy games because we worried about 10 trans folks that are in
2:04:00
sports right now. In college, I wasn't elected to
2:04:04
be engaged in these fights. I was elected to make sure that
2:04:06
those kids, the kids that they are about to neglect with these
2:04:09
terrible votes that they're about to take.
2:04:11
I was elected to protect them and to make sure that they could
2:04:15
grow up and have all the opportunities.
2:04:17
But let's keep on track now when we look at how much they are
2:04:23
spending on let's look at fraud, We could investigate whether the
2:04:27
White House and the members of this subcommittee engaged in
2:04:29
insider trading and market manipulation.
2:04:32
Maybe it's a coincidence that the chairwoman brought hundreds
2:04:35
of thousands of dollars worth of stock the day before Trump
2:04:37
announced a 90 day pause on tariffs.
2:04:40
But I guess we'll never know. So finally, let's talk about
2:04:43
abuse like how the Republicans have let Elon steal data of
2:04:47
Americans and his competitors to make himself even richer.
2:04:50
Look, don't let these hearings distract you from their
2:04:53
destruction. This is a rage baiting instead.
2:04:56
This is rage baiting instead of conducting oversight over the
2:04:59
issues that Americans actually care about.
2:05:01
And with that I will yield. The gentlelady's time is
2:05:04
expired, Madam Chair. Now recognize, Madam Chair, I
2:05:07
moved down to take down her words impugning you.
2:05:11
It's saying you committed a crime without objection.
2:05:14
So ordered. Say.
2:05:17
What? The committee.
2:05:21
Wilson, The committee will suspend point of parliamentary
2:05:25
inquiry we're. Going to go with hers first,
2:05:28
right Madam? Sure the the committee will
2:05:30
suspend the Member will state the words she wishes taken down.
2:05:35
Well, actually, Madam Chair, the the words weren't actually not.
2:05:37
Made The committee will suspend the.
2:05:44
Exact. The words alleging a criminal
2:05:53
act by the chairwoman. What?
2:05:57
What words we will suspend we will.
2:06:02
Have the the committee. The clerk will go over the
2:06:12
recording with the stenographer and the committee will suspend.
2:24:02
The hearing will come to order. Miss Miss Mace, I'd like to ask
2:24:08
we've we've looked at the words that were said and it's
2:24:13
borderline whether it's parliamentary and goes along
2:24:18
with the rules saying could and accusing the White House and
2:24:22
members of this committee of crimes is borderline.
2:24:26
So, so an interest of the hearing and our our witnesses
2:24:30
that are here today defending themselves against the mentally
2:24:33
ill biological males that have have invaded their sports and in
2:24:38
the interest of of making sure that we stay on on track instead
2:24:42
of getting sidetracked into Democrats nonstop fake
2:24:46
accusations. I just asked.
2:24:48
Thank you for bringing up the motion and ask.
2:24:50
If you yes, Madam Chair. OK, thank you very much.
2:24:54
With that, I now recognize. I now recognize she has to
2:24:57
withdraw it on the record. She already did.
2:25:01
Miss Stansbury, I now I now recognize Mr. Burchett from
2:25:06
Tennessee for 5 minutes. Thank you, Chair Lighting.
2:25:08
Chairman, I'm sorry, you just, it has to be withdrawn on the
2:25:11
record? She asked.
2:25:12
The. Question.
2:25:13
And she said yes, Madam. Chair you, you weren't
2:25:15
listening, Miss Stansbury. We we handled that and it has
2:25:19
been removed for the record, the fake accusations of of criminal
2:25:23
behavior. Criminal behavior.
2:25:24
Are you, are you accusing also and lying and you're continually
2:25:28
disrupting this hearing and won't stay on track about
2:25:32
mentally ill men trying to beat down women and women's sports.
2:25:36
We're going to stay on track now, Miss Stansbury.
2:25:39
So hopefully you can go along with this hearing and say on
2:25:42
subject, but I now recognize Mr. Burchett from Tennessee.
2:25:46
Thank you, Chair lady. Thank you for allowing me to be
2:25:48
here. You know, much has been said
2:25:50
about the number of trans athletes that are in sports
2:25:55
today are the lack of numbers, I guess.
2:25:58
But I can tell you there's a couple of ladies sitting right
2:26:01
here who have been greatly affected by those very small
2:26:06
numbers. 1 is not being able to pursue her, her passion of
2:26:11
fencing. And the other lady has had a
2:26:15
life altering event occurred to her because of it.
2:26:20
And I, I take, I take a little bit of offense that being the
2:26:25
father of a very cool young lady, I just think that this is
2:26:31
something that needs to be noted.
2:26:33
And also the a lot of distractions been made about
2:26:36
cutting SNAP and all these other things and Medicaid, Medicare,
2:26:40
what have you. All anybody on our side of the
2:26:42
aisle is talking about is cutting waste, abuse and fraud.
2:26:46
The only people that are talking about making any cuts are my
2:26:49
friends cackling to my right and a few commentators on CNN.
2:26:56
And that's and all we're talking about is waste, abuse and fraud.
2:26:59
And you have to ask, America is going to have to ask themselves
2:27:02
eventually, why in the world are the folks on the left so afraid
2:27:08
of waste, abuse and fraud being cut?
2:27:10
I suspect because it's going to come back to somebody's pockets.
2:27:14
So with that, I appreciate the time you've allotted me.
2:27:20
Mr. Lafell. Did I say that name right, Sir?
2:27:24
close enough, Sir. It's Layfeld.
2:27:26
Layfeld. All right.
2:27:26
I'm yes, Sir. Nobody ever gets it right.
2:27:28
So it's a German name, Sir. A lot of people mess it up.
2:27:31
I'm not really sure what mine is.
2:27:32
I just East Tennessee. Let me ask you, while serving as
2:27:36
chairman of the USA Fencing, you posted a very long pro gender,
2:27:40
trans, pro transgender manifesto on your blog.
2:27:44
Let me ask you, why did you post this?
2:27:47
And I would like to, for the record, put that on the record,
2:27:52
Madam Chairman, go. Ahead without objection, so
2:27:54
ordered. Sir, I posted it in my personal
2:27:57
capacity just over the years having observed a lot of
2:28:01
transgender women transition and the success that they had found
2:28:05
in fencing and the purpose that it gave them in life.
2:28:08
OK, in the post you mentioned you had no problem with your
2:28:13
daughter facing a man in the sporting event.
2:28:15
Is that true? Sir?
2:28:17
At this time she's four years old and hits me with a foam
2:28:19
saver but does not participate in fencing yet.
2:28:23
OK, but when she is at the age where she would take this sport
2:28:27
on, is that something you would you would think would be fair
2:28:30
that she would compete with a man?
2:28:32
Sir, we are one of the safest sports in the Olympic movements
2:28:34
and and 34% of our events are mixed gendered.
2:28:38
It's I'm very talking about, I'm not talking about the safety
2:28:41
issue. I'm just talking about the
2:28:42
fairness issue. Sir, I realize you have you
2:28:45
cover up and and I realized nobody gets poked in the face
2:28:48
anymore. I get that, but you think it do
2:28:50
you think that's fair? That's just a simple yes or no.
2:28:54
So long as the competitor has met all the the hormonal
2:28:57
requirements and complies with the policy, I would be OK with
2:29:01
it. Sir, OK on Instagram you a
2:29:03
commenter asked are you OK with a CIS female and I don't like
2:29:07
these terms. I had to look it up.
2:29:08
A CIS female, someone who's born a female, I believe is correct,
2:29:13
meaning women, are you OK with them being at a disadvantage?
2:29:20
To which you replied, yeah, And to be clear, must be clear,
2:29:23
you'd be OK with a young lady or young woman being at a
2:29:28
disadvantage or at a higher risk of being injured in any of these
2:29:31
other sports. Sir, thank you for giving me the
2:29:34
opportunity to address that, that question.
2:29:36
That was a question that required a far more nuanced
2:29:39
answer than what I gave, and I appreciate having the
2:29:42
opportunity on the committee to address that question.
2:29:45
I want to be clear in saying that I expect anybody that is
2:29:50
competing as a woman, as a transmitter woman, that they
2:29:53
meet the requirements as set forth in USA Fencing's policy.
2:29:57
OK, look, I hate to say I reclaim my time.
2:30:00
That sounds like being a jerk, but I'm going to do that if
2:30:02
that, if that's all right with you, brother, is it?
2:30:05
Is it true that USA Fencing created an equality map?
2:30:08
I know it was referred to either of states not to have events in
2:30:12
because of what the democratically elected
2:30:14
representative of states voted for.
2:30:16
So there was a map policy that a few of your colleagues have
2:30:19
referenced that was passed before I joined the board.
2:30:22
It does exist and it does not exclude any states from
2:30:25
selection. To be crystal clear, we have had
2:30:29
tournaments in numerous states that are listed in there,
2:30:32
including Texas, Ohio, Florida, Missouri, etcetera.
2:30:36
It does not exclude any states from selection and we probably
2:30:40
host tournaments in those states.
2:30:42
OK, well, I'm out of time. I apologize.
2:30:44
Thank you, Chairlady. Thanks Sir.
2:30:47
The gentleman's time has expired.
2:30:49
I now recognize Miss Simon from California.
2:30:55
Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you all of you all for
2:30:58
coming today. There's there's so much to say,
2:31:03
but I have such a limited time and I actually have a question.
2:31:07
But we'll also want to refer back.
2:31:10
Historically, we've been having these conversations for for
2:31:15
quite some time. Miss Cross, do you recall in
2:31:22
2000, and I believe it was 2009, the Castor Simonya case.
2:31:31
Craig, yes. Can you tell folks a little bit
2:31:33
about this case? I have some document on it too,
2:31:36
but can you give me a background?
2:31:39
You know, this was an Olympic sprinter, and there were all
2:31:45
sorts of assumptions that she was not a a woman and she was
2:31:50
subject to all sorts of invasive tests, but also bullying and
2:31:54
harassment because she was assumed to be not feminine
2:31:59
enough for the sport, basically. Yeah.
2:32:02
So you know, the this case, she was a black woman and she was a
2:32:09
South African, I think. Yeah, South African black.
2:32:12
And she was assumed to be too fast, too big.
2:32:17
And of course, she was asked to undergo testosterone testing and
2:32:25
medical treatment to reverse her natural testosterone that was in
2:32:29
her body. But she was born female.
2:32:33
That's correct. So I just want to make it clear
2:32:39
where we are. On March 25th, in this very
2:32:46
room, my colleague Miss Presley, she introduced an amendment to
2:32:56
this body. And the amendment was, was
2:33:02
pretty clear. And it said it requested that
2:33:07
this body vote down anything, any, any, any mention of any
2:33:13
policy that would ban racism, that would push forth any
2:33:25
clarity around us. Insinuating as a full body that
2:33:29
the Trump administration, when he moved executive orders that
2:33:33
they wouldn't mention or allude to any kind of segregation.
2:33:40
My colleagues on the right voted that amendment down.
2:33:43
Every single one of them. So even if you're not
2:33:47
transgender folks who are watching, I want you to
2:33:52
understand why this moment is so important.
2:33:55
We have a party who has been very clear about what their
2:34:01
intentions are for this country, very clear about what their
2:34:07
intentions are for this country. I think it's bringing us back to
2:34:12
a 1950s America where segregation was legal.
2:34:16
Who is to say that your African American daughter, because of
2:34:21
her BMI, will be subject to the same kind of conversation?
2:34:26
Who is to say, if we move forth in this conversation, that your
2:34:32
daughter, who was born a female, would be subjugated and subject,
2:34:39
I should say, to inspection of her genitals when she went up to
2:34:46
the Mount to play T-ball because she looked a little bit
2:34:49
different from other folk? There's a slippery slope here.
2:34:55
I definitely want to talk about race fraud and abuse in the
2:35:00
119th Congress. It's important and it's also
2:35:04
important for us to realize that the cruelty of not censoring all
2:35:10
Americans, how difficult that is, but it is ingrained in who
2:35:16
we are to figure out how we love and support and not pathologize
2:35:22
anyone. Let's be careful.
2:35:27
Let's be careful. Miss Cross, I wanted to give you
2:35:32
an opportunity, while my time is limited, to share anything else
2:35:36
about really what we're seeing here and how the slippery slope
2:35:39
can maybe go a little bit farther and more horrific than
2:35:43
it already is. Well, I'd say it's already
2:35:46
happening. We're already seeing girls being
2:35:50
challenged for not being feminine enough, for being too
2:35:52
tall, too fast, too good at what they do, by other parents, by
2:35:56
school officials. It will Discrimination never
2:35:59
begins and ends with the small group of people who are
2:36:02
initially targeted. It will extend and harm all
2:36:05
girls. Thank you.
2:36:07
Thank you so much. Now yield my time.
2:36:09
Madam Gentlelady's time has expired.
2:36:11
I now recognize Mr. Burleson from Missouri.
2:36:14
Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to our two witnesses
2:36:18
for confronting the assault on women's sports.
2:36:20
Men and women's sports is absolutely nonsense, no matter
2:36:25
how you spend it. It's shameful to look at the
2:36:28
women that have been hurt from these men and tell them that
2:36:32
they need to be silent in the name of inclusion.
2:36:36
This whole hearing, we've had motions to try to stop this
2:36:41
hearing to, to stop these young women from from from expressing
2:36:45
their views. It it's almost as if we have
2:36:49
nothing to see here. We don't want to hear what you
2:36:52
have to say. That is, that's the message
2:36:55
that's coming from this, from this side.
2:36:58
But I'm here because I want to hear what you have to say.
2:37:01
And, you know, look, whether it's fencing, tournaments, track
2:37:03
and field, my daughters are in soccer or volleyball games,
2:37:09
you're endangering our daughters.
2:37:12
And, and, and, and belittling. There's their narrative, the men
2:37:19
like Mr. Lefeld, who are, are wrecking women's sports with
2:37:23
woke poison and a twisted, twisted mental view of things
2:37:30
are, are destroying and the, the opportunities for these young
2:37:33
women. Meanwhile, Americans, they all
2:37:35
get this, they, they look at this and they think that this is
2:37:38
absolutely crazy, that we're even here.
2:37:41
And so we're here to obliterate this insanity and fight for our
2:37:46
girls and their safety and their fairness and their athletic
2:37:49
endeavors. And I've got to tell you, Miss
2:37:51
Graves, I was, I, I, I was shocked to read your testimony
2:37:56
where you belittled the experience of Miss Turner.
2:38:01
In your testimony, you said that this that her experience is part
2:38:06
of a larger scheme to attack young trans people.
2:38:09
Do you really? You said it was deliberate
2:38:11
spectacle that was carried out. Do you really believe she
2:38:15
contrived this situation? That she put her so that?
2:38:18
She testified that she planned the night before.
2:38:21
She cried the night before I do you.
2:38:24
Do you have any sympathy for a young woman who realizes she's
2:38:27
going to have to sword fight a man the next day?
2:38:30
Point protest is important it is to make a point there is mixed
2:38:34
gender competition all the time in fixing you heard that it was
2:38:37
a. Plurality, Miss Grace, I'm
2:38:38
taking my time. This young woman did not
2:38:42
register for a mixed sport, for a mixed event.
2:38:47
She registered to compete with other women.
2:38:50
And that that right was taken from her.
2:38:53
And she, she, you know, bravely stood her ground.
2:38:59
And I, and I think the world applauded you for that, Miss
2:39:04
McNabb, The, the life changing, altering.
2:39:09
Can you describe? And this is where I want to kind
2:39:11
of give some time. This, this event has had a
2:39:15
dramatic impact on your life physically, the the mental
2:39:20
anguish that you've gone through.
2:39:21
I unlike some, I want to hear your story.
2:39:24
I want to hear what you have to say.
2:39:28
Thank you, Congressman. Yeah, what happened to me was
2:39:31
100% avoidable and it completely changed my life.
2:39:35
I never played volleyball again that day.
2:39:37
That was the last day. And it's, it's so sad because I
2:39:41
had the hopes of playing collegiate sports in softball
2:39:44
and that day never came because I was just never the same.
2:39:47
I've had to navigate my new normal, which is incredibly sad,
2:39:51
especially for my friends and family to see.
2:39:54
And although I may look like I'm doing better on the outside,
2:39:57
it's there's things that are not and I don't know if they'll ever
2:40:00
be the same. I I'm sorry for the experience
2:40:03
that you went through. And, you know, I'm really sorry
2:40:05
that we have individuals in positions of power like Mr.
2:40:09
Lafelt, who have a twisted view on on reality.
2:40:14
And they're imposing that twisted view on, on you and your
2:40:18
lives. It it's really tragic and it's
2:40:22
sad. And what's even worse is that
2:40:24
now you're the one to blame because you, you 2 contrive
2:40:27
these situations, according to Miss.
2:40:29
Graves, that you created this, you wanted this to happen, Miss
2:40:33
Turner. That's what Miss.
2:40:35
I never. That's it's in your testimony I.
2:40:37
Did not say that Miss McNabb contrive the situation.
2:40:40
I actually think the lesson from her situation is around
2:40:43
concussion. Progress Do you really believe
2:40:45
the experiences that they've Miss McNabb?
2:40:48
Do you really believe that she wanted to face all these medical
2:40:51
issues? I think what happened to her is
2:40:54
tragic. There are hundreds of thousands
2:40:56
of injuries that are proven. So why aren't you standing up
2:40:58
for her? I I actually have, I said that
2:41:02
this was terrible and I have solutions that don't involve
2:41:05
bullying. Thank you, Miss Graves.
2:41:06
Look, I think that it's sick and twisted that individuals want to
2:41:10
make men, make women have to sword fight men.
2:41:13
And it's sick and twisted that individuals want to make
2:41:16
individuals have to take a a spiked ball to the forehead.
2:41:19
If that's what it takes for a trans person to play, I yield
2:41:23
back. The gentleman's time has
2:41:24
expired. I now recognize Miss Randall
2:41:27
from Washington. Thank you.
2:41:30
You know, this hearing, much like the long suspension that we
2:41:35
had a few speakers ago, is a waste of taxpayer time.
2:41:41
Yet another showing of the 24 seventh circus that this
2:41:45
majority has been conducting as puppets of this president's
2:41:49
agenda. We have people at risk of losing
2:41:52
healthcare coverage for concussions, for preventable
2:41:56
diseases, for brain injuries, for cancer.
2:42:02
People at risk of losing healthcare coverage, federal
2:42:05
workers and veterans fired without reason, FAA woefully
2:42:10
understaffed, and presidential appointees taking advantage of
2:42:14
their position for personal gain.
2:42:16
And yet the first subpoena that this majority feels compelled to
2:42:22
execute, not any that we tried to offer for Elon Musk, but it's
2:42:29
to bring the chairman of the board of USA Fencing in.
2:42:34
No offense, Mr. Lee felt, but this is part of a crusade
2:42:42
against trans people. There's nothing else to call it.
2:42:45
No one can explain away how questioning the chairman of USA
2:42:52
Fencing on trans people and sports brings down costs for
2:42:55
American people, much like no one can explain how banning
2:42:59
trans people from our military ranks makes us more safe.
2:43:03
In fact, Representative McGuire, who's not on this subcommittee
2:43:07
but is on the full oversight panel, said this morning
2:43:11
something that we could all do well to remember.
2:43:13
If somebody saved your life on the battlefield, you wouldn't
2:43:16
care if they were pink or blue or male or female, if they
2:43:19
called themselves a Democrat, Republican or an independent.
2:43:22
We are all Americans, but we care more.
2:43:28
My Republican colleagues care more about policing the way that
2:43:31
people live their lives instead of ensuring that they can't.
2:43:36
Last week, this committee advanced a bill gutting federal
2:43:40
employee pay and benefits. This week, the Energy and
2:43:42
Commerce Committee was supposed to mark up their piece of their
2:43:45
reconciliation package that would cut 880 billion from
2:43:49
Medicaid healthcare for people. This is so unpopular that they
2:43:54
had to push back their meeting a week in order to find the votes.
2:43:58
But here's the thing, despite their attempts to distract and
2:44:02
deflect by focusing on trans people who are just trying to
2:44:09
play their play sports and live their lives, the American people
2:44:12
are paying attention. They feel the cost of goods
2:44:15
going up does this. Hearing address that.
2:44:18
No. American people feel the fear of
2:44:22
wondering if they'll have health insurance tomorrow.
2:44:24
Does this hearing address that? No, I don't know if any of my
2:44:31
colleagues are even talking to their constituents because I've
2:44:34
received over 60,000 messages and phone calls, held eight town
2:44:37
halls since being sworn in, and not one person asked me to use
2:44:41
my time here to attack trans people.
2:44:45
I cannot make it make sense. In fact, Madam Chair, as I think
2:44:49
we heard earlier, 155,000 people in your district are at risk of
2:44:56
losing their health care under the Republican Party's budget
2:44:59
plan, including 111,143 children and 20,000 seniors.
2:45:09
Do you want to tell those folks that you care less about them,
2:45:12
or should I? Miss Randall, in my district, no
2:45:16
one's going to learn lose any of their benefits.
2:45:18
It was a promise by President Time and myself.
2:45:21
But they're concerned about men defeating women in sports.
2:45:25
By the way, your patriarchy earrings are screaming of the
2:45:28
hypocrisy. I'm glad you like my earrings,
2:45:32
but I'd like to reclaim my time. I'm here today on behalf of my
2:45:37
sister Olivia, who would have been unable to live with her
2:45:42
complex disabilities for 19 years without Medicaid.
2:45:45
And I'm here on behalf of the 72 million families and seniors who
2:45:51
rely on Medicaid. I'm here to tell the American
2:45:53
people that while this might be a scary time, a time where we
2:45:58
are feeling attacks on our most vulnerable communities every
2:46:02
day, where the instances of suicidal ideation amongst LGBTQ
2:46:06
folks is rising, and we, this administration is cutting the
2:46:10
very lifeline of the LGBTQ suicide hotline, there are
2:46:15
people who see you and celebrate your humanity and who care about
2:46:19
you. Miss Graves, I wasted all my
2:46:25
time, but I am grateful that you're here and we're able to
2:46:31
share about the real ways that we could support women across
2:46:35
the country. The gentlelady's time has
2:46:38
expired. I now recognize Mister Jack from
2:46:40
Georgia. Well, thank you, Madam
2:46:42
Chairwoman, and thank you for convening this hearing under
2:46:44
your leadership that those subcommittee has been one of the
2:46:46
most active subcommittees across Congress.
2:46:49
And my constituents are proud of our work to eliminate waste,
2:46:51
fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars across the federal
2:46:55
government. And today, it is no surprise
2:46:56
that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have spent a
2:46:59
majority of their time desperately avoiding the issue
2:47:02
before us because 80% of Americans, Republicans and
2:47:06
Democrats alike, believe biological men should never
2:47:09
compete in women's sports. Mr. Layfeld, as Mr. Fallon
2:47:12
noted, you are testifying today under subpoena because you
2:47:16
refused to appear before us voluntarily.
2:47:18
Why did you refuse our initial invitation to testify?
2:47:22
Congressman, thank you for giving me the opportunity to
2:47:24
address that. Our CEO, the organization Phil
2:47:27
Andrews was offered as a witness and we felt given his full time
2:47:32
capacity that he operates in this role that he would be able
2:47:35
to answer the, the questions more thoroughly than I can.
2:47:38
However, since I'm here, I'm happy to be here and answer your
2:47:40
questions. Thank you.
2:47:41
And as chairman of USA Fencing, how many members of USA Fencing
2:47:44
are biological men who have participated in women's
2:47:47
competitions? Rough estimate.
2:47:49
Rough estimate, Sir, I believe that the, it's, it's roughly 200
2:47:54
total with I think 39 that are transgender women.
2:48:00
And of that group of biological men, how many have won
2:48:02
championships in women's competitions?
2:48:05
Rough estimate, I couldn't tell you the specific number, Sir.
2:48:09
I've more than 10. I, I'm honest, honestly not
2:48:12
sure, Sir. I mean, I have the data on how
2:48:14
often cisgender women prevail against transgender women, but
2:48:18
specifically the number of medals, etcetera.
2:48:20
I, I'm not sure off the top of my head, Sir.
2:48:21
And conversely, how many biological women are
2:48:25
participating in men's competitions within USA Fencing?
2:48:28
34% of our events are mixer. And so it's fairly regular for
2:48:32
that kind of event to happen. They're a plurality of our
2:48:34
events. Then again, I'm just referring
2:48:36
to specifically male, non, non mixed competitions, specifically
2:48:39
male competitions. How many biological women are
2:48:42
participating in those to the best of your knowledge?
2:48:44
So just so I understand your question, Sir, biological women
2:48:47
competing in the men's division, Sir.
2:48:50
I'm not sure, Sir. OK, Well, I think the disparity
2:48:53
alone, as we've seen, confirms that this approach is
2:48:55
inequitable. The data across other sports
2:48:58
affirms it. In recent years, over 600 female
2:49:01
athletes have lost more than 900 medals to biological men and
2:49:05
women's sports. And again, over 80% of
2:49:07
Americans, Republicans and Democrats alike, agree that
2:49:11
biological men should never compete in women's sports.
2:49:14
Mr. Lay Felt. And I mean this with respect and
2:49:16
your capacity as a representative.
2:49:17
USA Fencing, have you ever impersonated a woman?
2:49:21
No, I'm not certain. Not to my knowledge.
2:49:23
I asked because I understand you have a history of creating
2:49:26
fictitious female personas. In one instance, you
2:49:28
impersonated a woman named Dorothy and wrote an e-mail to
2:49:31
yourself, which you didn't publish on social media for all
2:49:34
your followers to see, along with your response.
2:49:37
Do you want to comment on that? Yeah, I do, Sir.
2:49:39
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to address that.
2:49:41
It was a poor attempted humor. It was unbecoming of me as a
2:49:44
leader of this organization to post that as I did.
2:49:48
And quite frankly, moving forward, that's not something
2:49:50
that's going to happen again. It's unacceptable and it's it's
2:49:54
not something that should happen with any human to human
2:49:56
interaction, period. Thank you.
2:49:59
Miss Turner, Miss McNabb, I want to commend both of you.
2:50:02
You were both very brave women and Miss Turner, your courage
2:50:05
that you displayed on March 30th galvanized millions of Americans
2:50:09
in support of the simple truth that biological men should never
2:50:12
compete in women S sports. And with my remaining time,
2:50:14
Madam Chairwoman, I'd like to learn a little bit more about
2:50:16
the culture within USA Fencing specifically.
2:50:19
Miss Turner, reporting suggests that you previously raised your
2:50:22
concerns of the policies with which you have to face to USA
2:50:27
Fencing officials. What was the response when you
2:50:29
did so? I had done so privately and it
2:50:35
the answer is that they did not respond.
2:50:38
But I have known of other members of USA Fencing, mother
2:50:44
and a daughter who did come to USA Fencing asking, saying that
2:50:48
they did not approve of the transgender policy and they were
2:50:51
told that they would be sanctioned.
2:50:53
And did you or have you feared retribution from USA Fencing
2:50:56
with respect to your brave stance and likewise your
2:50:59
concerns you've raised before you took that stand?
2:51:01
Yes, and I still do. I don't think I'll ever get a
2:51:04
fair bout again from a referee or that I'd be welcomed without
2:51:08
harassment. And why do you think that
2:51:10
culture exists? Just you know, you've
2:51:12
experienced it. I'm curious your your own
2:51:14
perspective as it relates to the the culture that that tolerates
2:51:17
this type of behavior. I don't think they communicate
2:51:21
well with people who oppose this policy.
2:51:24
No one ever asked me what I thought, and I think maybe if
2:51:28
they had, they'd know what my stance was, you know?
2:51:32
Well, your braverly LED us to ask you your thoughts today in
2:51:35
front of the American public. So grateful for both you, Miss
2:51:37
McNabb, and all of our witnesses for testifying.
2:51:40
Madam Chairwoman, yield the remaining 4 seconds to you.
2:51:42
Thank you very much. The gentleman yields.
2:51:45
I now recognize Miss Jacobs from California.
2:51:50
Thank you. I'm not normally a member of
2:51:52
this committee, but I could not sit.
2:51:55
Idly by while Republicans attack the transgender community for
2:51:58
the millionth time. And look, there are real.
2:52:02
Well-intentioned questions and policy decisions that need to be
2:52:05
made around trans issues. I understand that.
2:52:09
For a lot of people, these issues are new.
2:52:11
It can feel intimidating to talk about them, scary to ask
2:52:14
questions. We need to be having dialogue,
2:52:17
but that's not what we're doing today in this hearing.
2:52:20
This hearing is a waste of time and neglects to provide actual
2:52:23
oversight of the ways the Trump administration is dismantling
2:52:27
our government and hurting women and girls.
2:52:29
Madam Chairman, would it be accurate to say that you believe
2:52:32
no one should receive gender affirming care?
2:52:35
I believe that no minors should receive gender affirming care.
2:52:39
Sex changes mutilating their body.
2:52:42
They can't vote, they can't get a tattoo, they can't drive a
2:52:46
car, they can't join the military.
2:52:48
Thank. You I I ask this because.
2:52:50
Many people believe that Botox, filler, boob jobs are all gender
2:52:56
affirming care, and I know many of my colleagues, probably on
2:53:00
both sides of the aisle have partaken in this gender for me
2:53:02
care. But OK, let's take this
2:53:04
committee at its word that this hearing is about protecting
2:53:09
women and girls. Miss Goss Graves, The Department
2:53:12
of Education's Office of Civil Rights is the primary entity
2:53:15
that investigates discrimination against women and girls in
2:53:19
sports in school. Is that correct?
2:53:21
That's correct. That protects women and girls
2:53:23
against sexual assault, whether in sports or elsewhere.
2:53:26
Is that correct? That's correct.
2:53:27
All right. Well, then, would you say that
2:53:29
getting rid of the Department of Education's Office of Civil
2:53:32
Rights would hurt? Women and girls.
2:53:35
For sure, as did the cuts to the Office for Civil Rights, the the
2:53:40
group that actually responds to Title 9.
2:53:42
That's exactly right. Which is why I find it so
2:53:45
interesting that the Trump administration has already
2:53:47
closed more than half of the offices of the Office of Civil
2:53:51
Rights in the Department of Education, including an office
2:53:53
in California, that it's in the middle of an active
2:53:56
discrimination investigation. You would think if we were
2:53:59
concerned about protecting women playing sports and protecting
2:54:02
their Title 9 rights that we would want to be actually
2:54:06
looking into why we're closing these offices, not not what
2:54:09
we're doing right now. For the record, for, you know,
2:54:13
folks watching this is also the office that investigates
2:54:16
anti-Semitism incidents of anti-Semitism on college
2:54:19
campuses. So remember that when my
2:54:21
colleagues trying to tell you that they're standing up for
2:54:22
Jewish students, but. I.
2:54:25
I have a theory. I think we're probably talking
2:54:28
about this issue instead of what the Trump administration is
2:54:31
actually doing because my colleagues don't want to talk
2:54:33
about, for instance, the 99,301 people who are at risk.
2:54:38
Of losing their Medicaid in Nancy Mason's district or the
2:54:42
54,400 and. 66 People who are at risk of losing their Medicaid in
2:54:45
Brandon Gills district or the 69,698.
2:54:50
People who are at risk of losing their Medicaid in Pat Fallon's
2:54:52
district or the 263,002 176 people at risk of losing their
2:54:58
Medicaid in Eli Cranes district, or the 200 and 35530 people at
2:55:03
risk of losing their Medicaid in Chairman Comer's office or the
2:55:07
155,530 people at risk of losing their Medicaid in the Chairwoman
2:55:12
Marjorie Taylor Green's office, or the 1.7 million.
2:55:14
People statewide in Georgia who are at risk of losing their
2:55:18
Medicaid or the 320,818. Students who rely on school
2:55:24
lunch in Georgia in order to get their food, who are at risk of
2:55:27
losing that. Maybe it's because the Atlanta
2:55:30
Journal Constitution has already ranked the chairwoman as last in
2:55:34
a poll of potential candidates for the United States Senate in
2:55:37
the Georgia seat, and she thinks that attacking trans kids will
2:55:40
help her poll numbers. But I'm here to tell you that
2:55:43
attacking trans kids is not going to launch a Senate
2:55:46
campaign. Attacking trans kid is not.
2:55:48
Good politics. Not for the right, not for the
2:55:51
left. The American people did not say
2:55:54
that they hate trans kids and they hate trans people in this
2:55:56
last election, what they said. Is that they?
2:55:58
Want us to take care of them. They are mad that someone else
2:56:02
is getting a surgery paid for when they are drowning in
2:56:05
medical debt. They are mad that someone else
2:56:06
is getting housing paid for when they are can barely afford rent.
2:56:10
So let's be clear that on both sides of the aisle, it is bad
2:56:14
politics to attract to attack trans kids and it is a shame on
2:56:18
this body that we work in that we all even have to be having
2:56:22
this conversation today. Thank you so much, Madam Chair,
2:56:24
when I yield back. The general lady yields.
2:56:26
I now recognize Mr. Gill from Texas.
2:56:30
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman, this is a, an excellent hearing
2:56:33
and and we really, really appreciate your leadership,
2:56:36
incredible leadership on this topic and on this community on
2:56:40
this issue. And I'd also like to thank our
2:56:43
our witnesses, Miss Turner and Miss McNabb for, for
2:56:46
particularly moving testimonies. And thank you for your bravery
2:56:50
for coming here. I know it takes a lot of guts to
2:56:53
testify before Congressional committee.
2:56:56
Mr. Lightfield, I'd like to ask you a few questions.
2:56:59
Do you think that men should be allowed in women's locker rooms?
2:57:03
Sir, those regulations are set by I'm just asking you yes or
2:57:07
no. Do you think men should be
2:57:08
allowed in women's locker rooms? I I don't have a personal
2:57:10
opinion on you don't have a person.
2:57:11
You have a personal opinion on a lot of things, but not on that
2:57:15
sure. I mean, it's it's a locker room
2:57:17
is not really an area where people interact.
2:57:19
So so the answer is yes, I don't think that men should be allowed
2:57:22
to share showers with women in athletic facilities.
2:57:25
I, I think that showering is a private activity and that it
2:57:29
should be private and it should be private.
2:57:31
There's oftentimes communal showers.
2:57:33
Are you OK with men showering with women?
2:57:35
I, I don't have an opinion on that in the context of USA
2:57:38
don't. Interesting.
2:57:39
That's a, that's an astounding thing to not have an opinion on.
2:57:42
I think most normal people have an opinion on that.
2:57:45
Are you OK with women being at a disadvantage when competing
2:57:49
against men in sports? Sir, mixed events happen all the
2:57:53
time and that's not my question are you OK with.
2:57:56
Let me ask it this way. Are you OK with CIS females
2:57:59
being at a disadvantage if their competitor, assuming that you're
2:58:04
talking about it's a yes or no question e-mail that they've met
2:58:06
the requirements set forth in the policy It Why did you post
2:58:10
on social media for the world to see?
2:58:13
You're asked in an in an anonymous question, which you
2:58:16
posted online. Are you OK with CIS females
2:58:19
being at a disadvantage? You said yeah, Yeah.
2:58:22
I believe it was Congressman Cloud that that had asked me
2:58:24
about that, Sir. And I'm I'm happy to address it
2:58:26
again. That was a one word answer to a
2:58:29
more nuanced topic. And I feel like if I could take
2:58:31
it back and expound a little bit more than proclaiming my time.
2:58:36
Do you think that women. Excuse me, do you think that
2:58:39
parents who don't want their daughters competing against men
2:58:42
and women's sports are whiny? No Sir, you don't.
2:58:46
Why did you write that on social media?
2:58:48
I've got a picture here where where you posted that you were
2:58:53
allegedly responding to a parent who didn't want their daughter
2:58:58
being being beaten up by men in sports competitions.
2:59:02
You said I'm not going to pull her from the sport and write a
2:59:05
whiny e-mail announcing my departure, Sir.
2:59:09
Mr. Congressman Jack had asked me about that.
2:59:11
And want to be crystal clear, that was an inappropriate
2:59:14
message. Do you think that they're
2:59:15
cowardly, Sir? No, I don't.
2:59:18
I don't at all. And in fact, why did you write
2:59:20
that on social media? I regret it, Sir.
2:59:23
I deleted it shortly after posting.
2:59:24
And I certainly don't feel that way anymore.
2:59:26
And given a lot of the messages that we receive and even
2:59:29
conversations, do you think, do you think that parents who don't
2:59:32
want their daughters competing against men in sports should be
2:59:35
compared to the Ku Klux Klan? No, absolutely.
2:59:38
And why did you do that in the message, Sir?
2:59:41
That was inappropriate. That was inappropriate.
2:59:44
Yes, Sir. Yeah, that you're right.
2:59:45
That isn't inappropriate. I'd like to read what you wrote
2:59:47
and what you posted on social media, responding allegedly to a
2:59:52
a lady who had these concerns. The only wizard that's going to
2:59:55
dig you out of the myopic hole you put yourself and your family
2:59:59
in is one of the quote Grand Wizard variety.
3:00:03
Inappropriate, Sir, and I acknowledge that I said it and I
3:00:06
will commit to never making a message like that again.
3:00:08
That that was in response to a parent according to you on
3:00:12
social media who had a problem with this?
3:00:14
Was this a real e-mail that you were responding to?
3:00:16
It was a real e-mail, Sir. I did not respond to it and hit
3:00:19
this was a real e-mail. Did did a, did an actual parent
3:00:22
write this or did you write this e-mail?
3:00:24
It was written by an actual person claiming to be a parent.
3:00:27
They were not a member of our were you that actual person?
3:00:30
No, Sir, you were not that actual person, but you staged
3:00:33
this, this whole interaction. The response, Sir, was was not
3:00:36
real and I I regret that. OK, You think it inclusivity at
3:00:41
presumably is a big part of of the fencing community.
3:00:44
Is that right? I would say so, Sir.
3:00:46
We're a very welcoming community and I'm proud.
3:00:48
Are you welcoming to Trump supporters?
3:00:50
Absolutely, absolutely. Then why did you with your in
3:00:53
your Facebook page from the fencing coach right?
3:00:57
Imagine being 1 of 71 million people dumb enough to vote re
3:01:02
election for a treasonous clown who's permanently banned from
3:01:04
Twitter for inciting and an insurrection.
3:01:07
You mad MAGA Bros, I acknowledge that.
3:01:10
I stated that in my personal capacity, Sir.
3:01:12
However, as chair that was from the fencing coach.
3:01:16
I have to acknowledge that 77 million people voted for him in
3:01:19
re election. That wasn't your personal
3:01:21
capacity. That was from your capacity as
3:01:23
quote the fencing coach online. Yes, that is that is my blog
3:01:27
Sir. That's my publication and I
3:01:28
acknowledge writing that. All right, my my time is up.
3:01:31
Thank you. I yield back.
3:01:34
Wow. OK.
3:01:36
Thank you for that, Mister Gill. I now recognize Mr. Crane from
3:01:41
Arizona. Thank you, Mr. Chairwoman.
3:01:45
Thank you to the guests for showing up today.
3:01:48
Many Americans ask me all the time, what is wrong with this
3:01:51
country? Why does it appear that we've
3:01:53
gone mad? And I think this subcommittee
3:01:57
hearing is a testimony to what has actually happened.
3:02:01
And I know I, I hold some beliefs that you know, you know,
3:02:06
they're my own beliefs. They're not everybody S beliefs,
3:02:08
but I tell them all the time, this is exactly what happens
3:02:11
when you allow God to be pushed out of everything.
3:02:15
This is what this is what we're seeing because God is clearly
3:02:18
spoken about this in Genesis 5/2.
3:02:20
He says I created them male and female.
3:02:23
And what's really going on up here in DC is just a microcosm
3:02:27
of culture. We've lost our minds.
3:02:29
We've pushed God out of everything.
3:02:31
And it's one of the reasons why it appears that we've gone mad
3:02:34
and one of the reasons we have two beautiful young women here
3:02:38
who are here to testify about how they've been abused in
3:02:43
sports by biological men. And none of my colleagues on the
3:02:47
other side of the aisle have asked you guys a single
3:02:50
question. Have you noticed that?
3:02:52
They don't care? They don't.
3:02:53
They don't hear you. They claim to be the party of
3:02:55
women. We got two women sitting right
3:02:56
here, and they could care less that you're here.
3:02:59
All they want to do is sit here and try and deflect and talk
3:03:02
about how we're trying to bully transgender kids, and none of us
3:03:06
are trying to do that. As a matter of fact, I feel
3:03:09
sorry for a lot of kids that grow up with gender dysphoria.
3:03:12
It's hard enough to grow up as it is, let alone taking that on
3:03:16
and having to deal with with that.
3:03:18
But that's not why we're here. They don't want to acknowledge
3:03:21
why we're here. We're here to protect young
3:03:24
women in women's sports from biological men.
3:03:30
You know, most of the men, real men that I know who came from
3:03:34
good families, they were raised to protect women.
3:03:37
It's something that we're all taught to do.
3:03:40
We have clearly failed to do that as a culture and a society,
3:03:44
and this hearing is a testimony to that.
3:03:47
I want to ask you, Mr. Layfield, did you grow up in a family
3:03:51
where your parents taught you to protect women?
3:03:54
Absolutely, Sir. My parents are here with me
3:03:56
today and and I'm proud of the lessons that they taught me.
3:03:58
They absolutely want me to protect.
3:03:59
Great, thank you. Then why aren't you doing that,
3:04:01
Mister Layfield? Why aren't you protecting women?
3:04:04
Because we got 2 sitting right right next to you who will tell
3:04:08
you that not only are you not protecting them, but you're
3:04:11
depriving them for from participating in in sports and
3:04:16
everything that goes along with that.
3:04:18
Why aren't you protecting women? So from a fencing standpoint,
3:04:21
it's one of the safest sports in the Olympic movement.
3:04:23
I know that, you know, you think swords present some kind of
3:04:26
danger. No, we're not talking about
3:04:27
swords. We're talking about biological
3:04:29
men, and you know it. Don't try, don't try those games
3:04:32
with me. We're not talking about swords.
3:04:35
We're talking about the fact that you and other men in A and
3:04:39
officials in authority have failed to protect young girls.
3:04:43
And it's pathetic. It is pathetic.
3:04:47
I'm not going to sit here and try and convince my colleagues
3:04:50
on the other side with biology or anything like that because
3:04:54
they've they're long gone. There's no study that I could
3:04:58
show them that would convince them that what they're doing is
3:05:01
wrong. I'm asking you, why have you not
3:05:03
protected young girls like these two sitting right next to you?
3:05:07
Sir, I believe we have protected young women in fencing.
3:05:10
It's OK. Really.
3:05:11
Hold on a second. Let's ask the expert witnesses.
3:05:13
Miss Turner, have men like Mr. Layfield protected you?
3:05:18
No. Have they protect?
3:05:19
Are they protecting other young girls from biological men
3:05:22
participating in sports? No, he glorifies it.
3:05:26
Miss McNabb, are men like Mr. Layfield protecting you and
3:05:30
other young women participating in women's sports?
3:05:33
Absolutely not. Do you feel safe?
3:05:36
No. You shouldn't, because guess
3:05:38
what? God created men and women
3:05:40
differently. And I know that this town and
3:05:43
many in this culture have a real problem with that.
3:05:45
But it is a fact, OK? It's just a fact.
3:05:49
And you guys know it. You have you have permanent
3:05:52
injuries for the rest of your life.
3:05:53
Is that correct, Miss Knapp? That's correct, Congressman.
3:05:57
Evil triumphs when good men and women do nothing.
3:06:01
Not only have you done nothing to protect these young women,
3:06:04
but you've actually cited with policies that are destructive to
3:06:09
young women's sports. You said you have a daughter,
3:06:12
Mr. Layfield. I do, Sir.
3:06:15
That's sad, man. That's sad that you wouldn't
3:06:17
protect young girls from what's going on in this in this
3:06:21
culture. And it's disgusting to listen to
3:06:24
these posts that you yourself posted.
3:06:27
I can't. I can't believe that you're
3:06:29
still the chairman of this organization.
3:06:31
I really can't after hearing some of those posts calling
3:06:35
parents who are concerned about this type of leadership KKK
3:06:40
members. Are you serious?
3:06:44
Shame on you bro, I yield back. The gentleman yields.
3:06:51
I now recognize Miss Mace from South Carolina.
3:06:54
Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for the invitation to
3:06:56
participate in today's hearing. Miss Goss Graves, so-called
3:07:00
quote, expert in women's rights. Do you know how many years it
3:07:03
took South Carolina to elect its first Republican woman to
3:07:06
Congress? Well, what year did?
3:07:08
100 years since women got the right to vote Do you know how
3:07:11
many years it took The Citadel, the military College of South
3:07:14
Carolina, to graduate its first woman?
3:07:17
157 years. So I have a series of yes or no
3:07:20
questions I would like to ask you based on some of your
3:07:22
previous statements and your opening statement today.
3:07:25
You said trans women are women. Miss Goss Graves, What is a
3:07:29
woman? So a woman is an adult female.
3:07:33
A woman identifies as a woman. And I actually think.
3:07:36
It what is What do you consider a female?
3:07:38
What is a female? So there are some women who were
3:07:44
assigned you. Say you're here to defend women.
3:07:48
You say you're here to defend women, but shouldn't you be able
3:07:50
to define one? Shouldn't you be able to define
3:07:52
one if you're from women's rights?
3:07:53
That's literally what. Miss Goss Grapes Do women have
3:07:56
penises? So again, I believe that women.
3:08:01
Democrats have gone so crazy women can have penises.
3:08:04
That's not a thing. That's not biology, it's not
3:08:06
science, and you sound like a lunatic.
3:08:08
And the women? Should young girls just get used
3:08:10
to penises in their locker rooms and showers?
3:08:13
My next question yes or no should what?
3:08:15
Should little girls get used to penises in their locker rooms
3:08:18
and showers? Yes or no I.
3:08:20
Know what you're talking about, but what I what I will.
3:08:22
Say, oh, I absolutely do. We've heard testimony today
3:08:25
about trans women. Those are women with penises.
3:08:27
Those aren't real women. I'm going to reclaim my time.
3:08:30
When President Trump issued an executive order to keep keep men
3:08:33
out of women's sports, thank God he did.
3:08:36
You said it was sexist bullying that harms all students.
3:08:40
Is it sexist, yes or no to protect women from men in
3:08:43
sports? Yes or no?
3:08:46
You can't answer one question. Is it sexist to acknowledge
3:08:49
basic science? Men and women are built
3:08:51
differently. Is it sexist to acknowledge
3:08:54
science? Can't answer the question Does
3:08:56
forcing little girls to Does forcing little girls to strip
3:09:00
down in front of men in locker rooms harm girls?
3:09:03
Does forcing little girls to strip down in front of men in
3:09:06
the locker room harm little girls?
3:09:08
Yes or no? Can't answer the question Does
3:09:11
forcing little girls to shower? I'm going to reclaim my time.
3:09:15
You can quit talking. These are yes or no questions.
3:09:17
You can answer them or not. Fine.
3:09:18
You've chosen not to answer the questions today because you
3:09:21
don't know how. I know it's shameful know how to
3:09:24
answer. Do you support?
3:09:25
Drugging and chopping off kids genitals in the name of
3:09:28
inclusion, is that a thing for you?
3:09:29
I have to say. Get off on that, all right.
3:09:32
When a biological man crushes the girl in a contact sport and
3:09:37
sends her to the ER, is that your idea of empowerment?
3:09:40
Is that empowering women? When a when a young man beats a
3:09:43
girl and takes her, sends her to the ER in a contact sport, is
3:09:47
that empowering, empowerment, Empowering women?
3:09:49
Is that what that is? Are you talking about Miss
3:09:51
McNabb? I'm talking about any woman who
3:09:55
gets crushed in a sport by a man physically and has to go to the
3:09:57
ER. McNabb and others.
3:09:59
I'm going to reclaim my time. Crush and protocol.
3:10:02
Miss, Madam Chair will show that the witness.
3:10:04
I'm going to reclaim my time. You can stop talking now.
3:10:06
I'm reclaiming. This is Miss Mace's time.
3:10:08
Miss Goss Graves. I would like some of that time
3:10:11
back, Madam Chair. If a man can be a woman, just
3:10:14
identify as a woman, as you say, just by saying so, what is the
3:10:18
point of having women's sports? What is the point of women's
3:10:22
spaces? What is the point of women's
3:10:23
scholarships? If you're just going to allow
3:10:25
men to take them away? Why even bother?
3:10:27
Why bother? The loudest voices?
3:10:29
I'm not asking you a question. I'm speaking.
3:10:31
The loudest voices on the left claiming to fight for women's
3:10:34
rights are the very first people to take them away, steal them
3:10:38
and tear these women down. You're the first to erase them.
3:10:42
Mr. Liefeldt Goss. Miss Goss Graves, you all are
3:10:45
shameful. I don't.
3:10:47
I didn't come here to play with an ideology of hell bent on
3:10:49
erasing women and grooming children.
3:10:51
That's what you all are. You're groomers.
3:10:54
And we're not going to the chairwoman and I, Madam Chair,
3:10:57
I'm not blaming. This is this is Miss Mace's
3:10:59
time. Miss Goss Graves.
3:11:01
Miss Goss Graves, this is shocking.
3:11:04
This about Miss Goss Graves. You are not recognized.
3:11:07
OK. But I think I just want to say
3:11:09
that that is a shock. You are not recognized, Miss
3:11:11
Goss Graves. The time belongs to Miss Mace.
3:11:14
OK, fine. Like Chairwoman Graham, I've
3:11:16
been holding the line for women, standing between perverts and
3:11:19
the rights of women and girls. And we're not going to let
3:11:22
anyone in this country forget what a woman is.
3:11:24
Mr. Lay felt. Will you face Miss Stephanie
3:11:27
Turner today? We look her in the eyes.
3:11:30
Will you apologize to her for the way that she was treated by
3:11:33
USA Fencing? Standing up for women's, women
3:11:36
and girls women's rights, standing her ground as a woman
3:11:39
who wanted only wanted to fence with other women?
3:11:42
Will you apologize to her today? Congresswoman Mace, Miss Turner
3:11:46
was given a black heart under our rules.
3:11:48
Will you apologize for the way she.
3:11:50
Was. Treated so that's a no.
3:11:52
Don't do it, Congresswoman. If I could respond to one thing,
3:11:55
you. Know what's you know what's
3:11:56
unbecoming of a leader? You said this just in your.
3:11:58
Testimony just like 5 minutes ago, yes ma'am, that you've said
3:12:00
several things that are just disgusting and unbecoming of a
3:12:02
leader. To use your words.
3:12:05
It's unbecoming of a leader today to acknowledge what has
3:12:08
happened to this young woman. You just look at her face and
3:12:12
look what she has been through, the courage it took her to stand
3:12:14
up for her rights as a woman and other women in other sports all
3:12:18
across the country. And you can't even as a man,
3:12:22
look her in the eye and apologize for what happened to
3:12:24
her. And as my colleague Congressman
3:12:26
Grain said, real men protect women.
3:12:29
You're not one. And I yield back the Gentlelady
3:12:35
yields. In closing, I want to thank our
3:12:37
witnesses once again for their testimony today.
3:12:40
I now yield to the Ranking Member Stansbury for closing
3:12:43
remarks for three minutes. All right.
3:12:47
Well, it's been an interesting journey today, as it often is in
3:12:51
this committee. You know, I want to start out by
3:12:54
saying, yes, thank you to our witnesses for sitting here in
3:12:57
this toxic soup for the last three hours.
3:13:02
It's ironic because the jurisdiction of this committee
3:13:05
is government efficiency, and we just spent three hours talking
3:13:09
about fencing USA fencing, trans athletes, girls.
3:13:17
We had my friends across the aisle mansplaining to us about
3:13:22
how they're protecting women. I mean, yeah, this was a really
3:13:26
good use of government time and money.
3:13:29
Meanwhile, behind closed doors, as we pointed out many times
3:13:32
during this hearing, my Republican colleagues across the
3:13:35
aisle are trying to cut a deal to cut Medicaid.
3:13:38
Now, I don't want to diminish anybody's life altering
3:13:41
experiences, and I am genuinely sorry to hear that.
3:13:44
Both of our young lady witnesses who are here today had horrible
3:13:48
experiences. It is bad.
3:13:50
I'm sorry to hear that you had a bad experience.
3:13:53
And, and I want to acknowledge that, and I appreciate you
3:13:56
coming and appearing before the committee today, but I don't
3:14:00
need a bunch of GOP Republican colleagues mansplaining at me
3:14:05
for three hours to tell me that they're trying to take away my
3:14:08
rights. They're trying to take away your
3:14:11
medical care. They're trying to take away
3:14:13
environmental protections. They're trying to take away food
3:14:16
assistance for the seniors and children of this country.
3:14:20
Like this hearing has nothing to do with substance for the United
3:14:26
States. It has nothing to do with
3:14:28
defending women's rights, has nothing to do with defending the
3:14:31
rights of girls. It is all about using the issue
3:14:35
of transgenders live transgender lives to distract from the
3:14:41
nefarious plots. They're actually happening in
3:14:43
this building while we're sitting here to actually take
3:14:47
away your civil rights, your human rights, and your access to
3:14:51
vital life saving care and programs that are vital to
3:14:54
millions of Americans. That is actually what is going
3:14:57
on here. But it is actually dangerous to
3:15:00
the lives of trans individuals because trans individuals are
3:15:04
being targeted. They're facing violence.
3:15:06
And the only thing that is waste, fraud and abuse in the
3:15:09
Doge subcommittee today is the waste of the last three hours of
3:15:13
our lives that we will never reclaim.
3:15:16
The fraud that is this committee and the abuse of Americans that
3:15:21
is spewed out of the mouths on the other side of the aisle for
3:15:24
the last three hours. And so I want to say to everyone
3:15:28
out there who is listening, whether you're a transgender
3:15:30
American and LGBTQ plus individual or any American out
3:15:34
there, we are fighting for you. We love you, we support you, and
3:15:39
we will stand against hate. And with that I yield back.
3:15:43
I hope the Democrats keep fighting for the mentally ill,
3:15:46
biological men who keep trying to beat down women in sports
3:15:51
because it's a losing position. It's a losing battle, and that
3:15:55
was proven in the last election. Today, we conducted oversight of
3:15:59
our nation's national governing body for the sport of fencing,
3:16:03
and with so many of our nation's institutions, USA Fencing has
3:16:08
been captured by the left. They've banned the national
3:16:11
anthem before competitions, selected tournament competition
3:16:15
locations based on state abortion and DEI laws, and
3:16:19
punish female athletes for refusing to compete against men.
3:16:24
Earlier today, the ranking member called us weird for
3:16:27
standing up for girls and women when she's the one who supports
3:16:31
sex changes, surgeries for little kids, and forcing women
3:16:35
to undress in front of creepy perverted men.
3:16:39
I'll let the American people decide who the weirdos are
3:16:42
because I think we know the American people are tired of
3:16:45
cultural Marxism and perverted sexual ideas being shoved down
3:16:49
their throats, especially when it is being done with our own
3:16:54
tax dollars. The issue of men competing in
3:16:57
women's sports shouldn't even have to be a discussion.
3:17:01
It's unfair, unsafe and straight up abusive.
3:17:05
As board chair of USA Fencing, Mr. Lefelt has used his position
3:17:09
to push his own personal trans agenda on the sport.
3:17:13
As a matter of fact, Liz Kokab is the most decorated American
3:17:18
veteran fencer in history. And that is a man, A biological
3:17:23
man who is a 9th career gold medalist.
3:17:28
Let's be real, Mr. Lafelt is not pretending anymore.
3:17:32
He's defending the trans. And here's the issue.
3:17:36
When you're sending emails to yourself, calling yourself
3:17:39
Dorothy and you get caught and have to apologize for lying like
3:17:43
that here, right here in the oversight committee, that is
3:17:47
pathetic. When you're calling parents
3:17:49
whiny for defending their own little girls from the biological
3:17:55
males that you're allowing to compete against them, that's
3:17:58
pathetic. Mr. Leyfelt, you should resign
3:18:03
from the chair of USA Fencing. You do not deserve the position
3:18:08
that you have. And that's the recommendation I
3:18:10
have as the chair of the Doge Subcommittee on Oversight.
3:18:14
And furthermore, it is pathetic that you're a father of a little
3:18:18
girl that you would be perfectly fine to teach and encourage to
3:18:23
lose because there is no female athlete that ever wants to lose
3:18:29
or come in second place. You're sitting next to two
3:18:33
champions next to you today that never wanted to lose, that never
3:18:39
wanted to suffer a brain injury, that never wanted to have to
3:18:42
face a male athlete in their sport and you failed them and
3:18:48
you are failing women. You need to resign.
3:18:53
With that and without objection, all members have 5 legislative
3:18:57
days within which to submit materials and additional written
3:19:00
questions for the witnesses, which will be forwarded to the
3:19:04
witnesses. If there is no further business,
3:19:06
without objection, the committee stands adjourned.