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These two Texas Democrats were the only ones in their party to vote for the House's anti-trans sports bill

Henry Cuellar Vicente Gonzalez
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

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(1) UNITED STATES - JUNE 4: Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, is seen in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, June 4, 2024

(2) UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 15: Rep. Vicente González, D-Texas, walks down the House steps after a vote in the Capitol on Thursday, September 15, 2022.

Texas U.S. Rep.s Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez were the lone Democratic votes for the so-called Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.

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Every Republican in the U.S. House voted in favor of the anti-trans Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, but so did two Texas Democrats.

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Texas Reps Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez cast the only aisle-crossing votes when the bill passed 218-206. The support disappointed LGBTQ+ rights advocates in the Lone Star State.

“Our country seems to be regressing to politics that would warrant a timeout for any elementary student,” said Brad Pritchett, interim CEO for Equality Texas. “The two South Texas Democrats that voted in favor of discrimination are not only harming the young people of South Texas, they are out of step with the values most Texans hold dear. Lawmakers have the power to make our state and country a better place to live, yet they use that power to harass trans children? The problem is that lawmakers believe they can bully your child if they don’t like or understand them.”

The legislation if passed would prohibit anyone but those assigned female at birth to participate in women’s sports for any organization receiving any federal funding.

Gonzalez issued a statement defending his vote, where he stressed the decision was based on feedback from his constituents while using anti-trans rhetoric saying trans girls are not girls.

“I believe that there should be rules to keep our sports fair and that boys should not play in girls sports,” he said. “Members of Congress must have the freedom to vote in a manner representative of their district. As Democrats, we should not be afraid to vote our district’s values because we're afraid of Washington. When I first ran for Congress, I said I would bring South Texas values to Washington, not the other way around. That’s why I voted to support H.R. 28. Now I look forward to working with all of my colleagues in this Congress to lower the high cost of living and create economic opportunities for my district."

Cuellar similarly told the Houston Chronicle he voted for the bill “based on the concerns and feedback he received from constituents.” His vote was especially notable as he voted against similar legislation in 2023.

The Texas Tribune reported that both Democratic congressmen appeared politically vulnerable in the 2024 elections, and that a majority of voters in each of their districts supported Donald Trump over Kamala Harris. Cuellar won more than 52% of the vote, and Gonzalez won just over 51% of the vote.

But the two votes also allow Republicans to claim broad support for the partisan legislation.

“Americans are united in our belief that men have no place in women’s sports, whether it’s breaking records, entering locker rooms, or stealing scholarship opportunities,” said Florida Rep. Greg Steube, the Republican bill sponsor. “Denying biological truth erases fairness in sports and puts women’s safety and opportunities at risk. Today’s passage sends a clear message to the Senate—protecting women and girls in sports is not negotiable.”

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Steube's office called the vote “bipartisan” in a press release despite the margin to pass the legislation being narrower than when the House similarly passed his bill in 2023 on a 2019-203 vote. But two years ago, no Democrats voted in support of the legislation.

Ultimately, Pritchett, the executive director of Equality Texas, said it will be children and young athletes hurt if the bill becomes law.

“For young people, sports are about teamwork, sportsmanship, leadership, and self-discipline. Trans girls deserve the opportunity to develop those skills and build a sense of belonging with their peers,” Pritchett said. “When we tell trans girls that they can’t play girls’ sports, they miss out on childhood experiences and all the lessons that come with that.”

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