Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Khanna), my friend and colleague from my home State who serves on the Armed Services Committee and the Oversight Committee.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I commend General Bergman for the section of the VET-TEC bill which includes addressing this issue related to burials and the cost that the veteran's family has to bear, but I find it peculiar that the majority would take pains to include this legislation, which I have no quarrel with and support, but could not deal with and chose not to deal with the expiring authorities to deal with our homeless veterans. Americans care deeply about the homeless veterans in our country and are offended that we would have anybody who wore the uniform of the United States be homeless. There are elements of this bill that came up in markup. They brought the bill to the floor, the VET-TEC bill, which includes many elements, but they specifically chose to leave out addressing the expiring authorities that we have used to bring down homelessness by 11 percent. I am afraid we are going to lose momentum. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of my longtime staffers, Matthew Ceja. Matt's career in my office spanned over five and a half years, a time in which I have had the honor of watching him grow into each new role. A proud, born-and-raised Inland Empire native, Matt joined my office at the very beginning of his career on the Hill as an intern. From there he grew into every role from staff assistant to legislative assistant, tackling each new position with great aptitude and enthusiasm. As a staffer, Matt has been unfailingly dependable. His work on energy and environment issues for the office addressed some of my constituency's most immediate concerns, and his passion for the Inland Empire is always at the core of his work. Matt's commitment to progressive values inflected his approach to each of his portfolio issues, and I am grateful for his depth and breadth when working with me to craft policy. What makes Matt truly a standout as both a staffer and a coworker is that he possesses qualities that are impossible to teach: his kindness, his generosity, and natural inclination towards mentorship. To every younger staffer that has come to my office after him, Matt has been a source of advice and encouragement. He is everyone's first friend and biggest cheerleader, and he has played a major role in creating the kind of warm, welcoming, and inclusive environment in my office that any Member of Congress would be lucky to have. Although he will be leaving my office, I am glad that he will not yet be departing the Hill and wish him the best of luck in his new role. The Inland Empire is lucky to have an advocate like him in our corner.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding and I certainly share his commitment and I share your pride. I know you stand for justice. I know you stand for the cause of all folks who have been marginalized. I know of your commitment to our servicemembers during World War II. Mr. Speaker, I thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs for his valued service to veterans, this Congress, and our country. Miguel Salazar joined our committee as our communications director in 2019 as Democrats took back the House, and he was an integral part of the committee's efforts to deliver meaningful change for our Nation's veterans. When my Honoring our PACT Act was signed into law last year, Miguel worked tirelessly with our communications team to ensure that the 3.5 million newly eligible veterans became aware of the benefits they were entitled to. As a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps Reserve, Miguel has embodied the very best of public service. He has been a true leader and an invaluable member of my staff. The work of my committee and this legislative body have been made better by Miguel's contributions. He will be deeply missed.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I was trying to remember the gentleman's cause, which was the merchant mariners during World War II. I was at an event with Senator McConnell which commemorated the service of these merchant mariners who played such a critical role serving our Nation during World War II. They weren't in uniform, but they died at tremendous numbers. I share Mr. Green's concern that we need to do something for these surviving merchant mariners before they all die. They served our country in an incredible way.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I claim time to speak in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentlewoman from South Carolina for a colloquy to answer some questions. I know the gentlewoman to be open-minded about LGB people, but I wonder if she has ever sat down and met with any of her transgender constituents.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, this amendment perpetuates false arguments that allowing transgender girls to participate on school sports teams will undermine the well-being of cisgender girls. Again, my friends across the aisle are conflating and confusing the issue here. They want to talk about the struggles and the challenges we have with determining fair competition in elite sports, but what we are talking about here is a bill, the underlying bill, which would completely ban participation of all transgender kids across our country. As I said, the example in Utah, 75,000 high school students competing in high school sports, four transgender kids, one competing as a female. This seems wholly, wholly, disproportionate to the so-called problem. What is disproportionate is this proposal to completely ban transgender students from sports. Now, I want to say something here. The other side does not even want to acknowledge that transgender kids exist; that transgender people exist. Nevertheless, the legislation and this amendment target transgender kids, and they do it in a very, very insidious way. They will say, oh, transgender doesn't appear in this bill. But let's not kid ourselves that the very intent is to harm and stigmatize, isolate, make them pariahs, and this is simply wrong. Look, I am not a scientist. I was an English teacher most of my time before I got into Congress. I do know the harm that comes with this insidious use of language, by not even granting the dignity of existing, not even granting the dignity of the existence of trans kids and trans people. That is what the other side is doing. It is going to be harmful. How is it harmful? This mere debate has traumatized trans kids and their families across the country. Eighty- five percent of transgender and nonbinary youth say that the debates around anti-trans bills have negatively impacted their mental health. According to a 2022 survey, nearly one in five transgender and nonbinary youth attempted suicide in the past year, and 45 percent of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. These statistics are real. They represent real vulnerable kids. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment and to oppose the underlying bill. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Reclaiming my time. So the gentlewoman does recognize that transgender kids and transgender people exist.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I would just say let's allow, at the very elite level, organizations like the International Olympic Committee and the NCAA to make determinations of what constitutes fairness, not impose the Federal Government where it is not necessary. Transgender athletes have been welcomed into participation for 20 years now and only recently has it become a major issue in our country. Mr. Chair, where have the Republicans' concerns about government overreach gone? Where have the concerns about allowing States and voluntary associations to solve problems before the Federal Government is brought to bear gone? Certainly, we should not be using one or two examples at the elite sports level to affect the participation of transgender girls and women all across our country in high schools and colleges. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I would say that organizations like the NCAA and the International Olympic Committee can resolve these issues about fairness in competition, but we should not neglect the greater value of participation, connecting to others in society and welcoming everybody into the community. This bill and this amendment do not do that, and they put our transgender kids in harm's way. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Reclaiming my time. So it is curious to me that the gentlewoman has not included even the word ``transgender.'' She uses the word ``biological male,'' and the study that she has put forward studies the harm done to cisgender girls by having them compete with biological males. It does not even provide the guidance to the studiers to study what may happen with cisgender girls and the competition with transgender girls. So the results of this study are not going to even determine what the challenges may be. Look, the mere fact that the author of this amendment is asking to study this shows that there is no evidence that there is any harm here.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, again, the assertion that the underlying bill is about protecting women and girls couldn't be farther from the truth. We know that in States that have inclusive policies toward trans girls and women in sports, that the overall participation of girls and women is greater. Those States that have enacted bans on transgender participation have seen a decrease in overall participation. Why might that be? Well, we know that in Utah, that some parents of cisgender girls who have seen their girls lose in competition have questioned whether or not the winner is actually a girl because of nonconformance to perceived notions of femininity. Authorities in that State have actually subjected the winner, the girl who was a winner, to an examination of documents dating back to her kindergarten days in order for her to prove that she was indeed a female. Think about the chilling effect that this has had on other women and girls from participating in sports. The teenage years are a difficult time enough but think about what this ban has imposed. Let me tell you, Republicans are not satisfied with just banning transgender girls from competition in athletics. What this amendment will do is to accomplish full exclusion of transgender people, not only from athletic programs, but from any other auxiliary programming that a student would want to participate with their teams. Not only are they interested in assuring that transgender girls and women can't enjoy the benefits of the athletic aspects of team sports, but they also want to make sure that trans students who, statistically speaking, already face intense marginalization in school environments are deprived of the opportunity to make friends, to be included, and just have fun. No wonder more than half of transgender kids have thought about suicide or have attempted it. This amendment is the example that represents the whole. The nature of this amendment is what is at the heart of this bill. It is not about competition. It is about participation. I wish that they would stop using examples of difficulties in elite competitions as a justification to harm transgender kids all across this Nation and exclude them not only from sports but also exclude them from sports banquets or special study halls that may be associated with athletes. This is an insidious amendment. It is an insidious bill. It is contrary to our values as Americans. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I include in the Record a Statement of Administration Policy from the administration. Statement of Administration Policy h.r. 734--protection of women and girls in sports act of 2023--rep. steube, R-fl, and 93 cosponsors The Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 734. For students nationwide, participating in sports and being part of a team is an important part of growing up, staying engaged in school, and learning leadership and life skills. H.R. 734 would deny access to sports for many families by establishing an absolute ban on transgender students--even those as young as elementary schoolers--playing on a team consistent with their gender identity. Schools, coaches, and athletic associations around the country are already working with families to develop participation rules that are fair and that take into account particular sports, grade levels, and levels of competition. As a national ban that does not account for competitiveness or grade level, H.R. 734 targets people for who they are and therefore is discriminatory. Politicians should not dictate a one-size-fits-all requirement that forces coaches to remove kids from their teams. At a time when transgender youth already face a nationwide mental health crisis, with half of transgender youth in a recent survey saying they have seriously considered suicide, a national law that further stigmatizes these children is completely unnecessary, hurts families and students, and would only put students at greater risk. Discrimination has no place in our nation's schools or on our playing fields. Instead of addressing the pressing issues that families and students face today--such as raising teacher pay, keeping guns out of schools, addressing the mental health crisis our youth face, and helping students learn and recover academically from unprecedented disruptions--Congressional Republicans have instead chosen to prioritize policies that discriminate against children. If the President were presented with H.R. 734, he would veto it.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Vermont (Ms. Balint).

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I include in the Record a statement by the National Parents Union in opposition to H.R. 734. National Parents Union. H.R. 734 bullies kids instead of teaching them to read. It's time to get focused on what matters to American families. The National Parents Union continues to be frustrated with the lack of focus from House and Education Workforce Committee Leadership on issues that matter to American Families. Families across the country want Congress to focus on ensuring that every child is prepared for their future-- not bullying kids who want to play sports among their peers. 32 percent of our country's 4th graders were proficient readers according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. That means that 7 out of 10 of our current 5th graders cannot fully engage in their learning because they cannot read the content. Our latest national parent poll clearly states parent priorities and nowhere to be found is anything about members of their kids sports teams. 90 percent Believe students should have access to high- quality, well rounded education with resources to support their individual needs. 90 percent Believe that students should be prepared for college and/or careers when they graduate. 90 percent Believe students should be protected from any form of discrimination at school.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark), the Democratic whip.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I speak in opposition to H.R. 734, the politics over participation act. We can all agree on the need to address the challenges facing our education system, issues like gun violence, academic achievement gaps, and the lack of mental health support for our students. These are serious challenges that demand serious action. Unfortunately, my Republican colleagues have used their first 100 days in the majority to pursue a radical education agenda that prioritizes political points over students' safety and success. Today, we are considering another piece of this extreme agenda, one that again targets transgender kids. School sports activities offer fundamental life lessons--such as leadership, self-confidence, and teamwork--that every child should be able to enjoy. As Members of Congress, our responsibility is to ensure that student athletics are, above all, fair and safe. H.R. 734 does the exact opposite. It makes school sports less fair by singling out and banning transgender women and girls as young as kindergarten from participating on school sports teams with their friends. We know transgender students already face widespread bullying and discrimination. Adding to their pain by targeting their participation in school sports is both wrong and dangerous. Furthermore, contrary to my Republican colleagues' claims, H.R. 734 actually makes school sports less safe for women and girls. To enforce its ban on transgender student athletes, the bill would require all girls as young as their preteens to ``prove their gender.'' For example, under Utah's blanket ban on transgender student participation in school sports, parents of the second- and third-place finishers in a State-level girls' competition complained to the Utah High School Activities Association that they suspected the winner of the event was trans. Following the complaint, the school was forced to investigate the student by combing through her records going back to kindergarten. She was, in fact, not transgender. The association has received other complaints about supposed trans competitors, sometimes with the reasoning being simply that a girl doesn't look feminine enough. Simply put, H.R. 734 does not protect women and girls. It only makes school sports less safe and less fair. There are schools, States, and sports associations that have been allowing transgender people to play equitably and consistent with their gender identity with no issues for decades. This bill doesn't address the most elite level of athletes. Yet, even at the most elite level, organizations like the International Olympic Committee have frameworks for transgender inclusion in sports. They reject the type of categorical blanket ban Republicans are pushing for kids as young as kindergartners in schools. Congress has no business targeting transgender women and girls and imposing a nationwide ban on their participation in school sports. We need to refocus on our job in Congress to address the most pressing issues facing students and parents and ensure that every child in America can reach their full potential. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 734, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), the ranking member of the full Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, while girls' participation in sports have increased 1,000 percent since Title IX, the participation numbers still have not reached that of boys 50 years ago. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens).

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Pocan), the chair of the Equality Caucus.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Jayapal).