In 49-41 vote, Senate blocks amendment to ban men and boys from competing in women's and girls' sports

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.

In a vote held over the weekend, the Senate declined to pass an amendment to the SAVE Act that would formally ban men and boys, including those who say they are transgender, from competing in women's and girls sports. The amendment would codify an executive order issued by President Trump last year during the first week of his second term.

The amendment, sponsored by Republican Senators Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, would penalize any school that receives federal funds and allows males who identify as females to participate in women's or girls' sports competitions.

In order to advance, the measure required 60 votes, and fell 11 votes short, with 49 Republicans voting in favor of the amendment and 41 Democrats voting against it. Several senators missed the Saturday vote. 

“This is the fourth time that I’ve had this bill on the floor,” Tuberville said afterward, according to The Hill. “Every time that we’ve voted on this, I have not gotten one single Democrat to vote for it,” he said, adding that he would continue trying.

In a post on X, Tuberville, who is running for governor of Alabama, said, "This is an 80-20 issue but, as usual, woke Democrats are siding with the 20%." Watch his full remarks in the video below.