Hirono, Murray, Blunt Rochester, Baldwin, Grijalva Introduce Bicameral Resolution to Commemorate 54th Anniversary of Title IX

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and U.S. Representative Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) introduced a bicameral resolution commemorating the 54^th anniversary of the passage of Title IX. In 1972, Title IX was signed into law, outlawing sex-based discrimination in federally-funded education programs, while expanding educational opportunities for women and girls. As the Trump Administration, Congressional Republicans, and others have tried to weaponize this landmark civil rights law to harm and exclude vulnerable students-including transgender women and girls-this resolution reaffirms the importance of Title IX, recognizes that more work remains to fulfill the promises of Title IX, and condemns those who have tried to use Title IX to harm students.

"More than 50 years ago, Title IX was signed into law, advancing equity and creating countless opportunities for women to thrive in the classroom, on the field, and in their workplace. But instead promoting diversity in education, Congressional Republicans and the Trump regime are twisting Title IX to tear minorities down," said Senator Hirono. "This resolution celebrates the true legacy of Title IX. I remain committed to standing up for students and helping them reach their fullest potentials."

"For decades, Title IX has opened countless doors for women and girls in education and sports. Congress should be working to strengthen Title IX and the Education Department, expand opportunities for women and girls in our schools, and protect them from harassment and assault," said Senator Murray. "Instead, we are seeing the Trump administration utterly fail to protect women and girls-they will fearmonger about trans kids until the sun comes up, but the fact is this administration has all but decimated the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education, leaving egregious instances of sexual harassment and assault, and so much else, totally unaddressed. Rather than focus on working through the backlog of cases at the Department of Education, Trump wants to pass off this work to the Department of Justice, an agency that is not prepared to do this work-creating bureaucratic delays for students and incurring new costs for taxpayers. You can't strengthen Title IX by abolishing the Department of Education, any more than you can strengthen a bridge with a wrecking ball-I'll be fighting back every step of the way for women and girls at schools and college campuses everywhere."

"54 years ago, Title IX was enacted to ensure students can pursue an education free from discrimination. Now as modern challenges continue to arise, its principles feel even more important," said Senator Blunt Rochester. "This resolution reaffirms our commitment to the promises laid out in Title IX and serves as a reminder that every student should be afforded equitable treatment under the law."

"Title IX changed what was possible for generations of women and girls - in classrooms, laboratories, boardrooms, and on playing fields," said Senator Baldwin. "On the 54th anniversary of this landmark legislation, I am proud to lead this resolution with Senator Hirono and will continue to fight to ensure that all women and girls have the protections they need and deserve."

"Title IX has opened doors for generations of women and girls, expanding access to education, athletics, and opportunities that were too often denied. Fifty-four years later, its promise remains as important as ever: every student deserves the chance to learn, grow, and succeed free from discrimination. That includes transgender students, who deserve the same dignity, safety, and educational opportunities as anyone else. As we celebrate the progress made under Title IX, we must remain committed to protecting its promise for all students," said Representative Adelita Grijalva.

Title IX signed into law in 1972 and was spearheaded by Hawaii Congresswoman Patsy Mink, who called education equity "the best route to equity and social justice." While Title IX remains one of the most consequential pieces of civil rights legislation ever passed in U.S. History, advancing gender equity remains a challenge in schools across the nation. As Congressional Republicans and the Trump Administration promote their anti-diversity education agenda, Title IX is being weaponized to roll back protections for transgender students and restrict the ways schools can address systemic gender discrimination.

This resolution pushes back against the false narratives that diversity in schools harms students. Specifically, this resolution celebrates the true legacy of Title IX by:

1. Celebrating the progress of Title IX and the increased protections and opportunities it has created for millions of students across the country;
2. Applauding the accomplishments of women and girls in all areas of life in the United States;
3. Recognizing that, despite progress being made, much work still remains to secure the rights and opportunities guaranteed by title IX, so that no federally funded educational institution shall discriminate against any individual on the basis of sex;
4. Calling upon the executive branch to protect the rights of individuals to fairness and safety at school by working to ensure schools prevent and respond to discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex, including based on-
   1. (A) pregnancy and related medical conditions;
   2. (B) actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics;
   3. (C) sex stereotypes; and
   4. (D) sex-based harassment, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and sex-based stalking; and
5. Condemning the weaponization of title IX to harm vulnerable students, particularly women and girls who are transgender and intersex, and nonbinary students, and to dismantle programs aiming to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion of women and girls in education.

"The National Women's Law Center was founded the same year Title IX was enacted decades ago," said Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of National Women's Law Center. "Since then, we have fought for every student to be protected from sex discrimination in education, and tremendous progress has been made. But with the far-rights' distortion of this crucial law and this administration's recent attacks on our most vulnerable student populations, it is more imperative than ever that we come together to fight for safe and inclusive schools. I commend Senator Hirono, Senator Murray, and Representative Grijalva for introducing this important resolution that affirms Title IX's true purpose and the work that remains to make its promise a reality for all students."

"With this resolution we are reminded that there are still leaders who will show up for our rights, our families, and a brighter future for all of us. Just as advocates and Congressional leaders came together 54 years ago to promise a future free from sex discrimination, we must raise our voices together again and say that we demand all of our rights here and now," said Liz King, Principal, All, Here, and Now LLC.

This resolution was endorsed by Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE), Advocates for Youth, Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools, American Association of University Women (AAUW), Arab American Institute (AAI), California National Organization for Women (CA NOW), Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Clearinghouse on Women's Issues, Delaware Alliance Against Sexual Violence, Equal Justice Society, Equal Rights Advocates, Feminist Majority Foundation, FL National Organization for Women, Girls Inc. of Orange County, Greater Orlando National Organization for Women, HerSports, Human Rights Campaign, interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth, Justice + Joy National Collaborative, Know Your IX, Legal Momentum, the Women's Legal Defense & Education Fund, MANA, A National Latina Organization, NADOHE--National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, National Council of Jewish Women, National Education Association, National Organization For Women, National Women's Political Caucus, National Women's Studies Association, New America Higher Education Policy Program, Out Accountability Project, PFLAG National, Public Counsel, Public Justice, Reproductive Freedom for All, SafeBAE, School Staff Against Sexual Violence, Sexual Violence Prevention Association, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC), SPAN Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN), Stop Sexual Assault in Schools, The New York Women's Foundation, The Every Voice Coalition, The Feminist Majority, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Victim Rights Law Center, Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Women Employed, Women's Law Project, WorkLife Law, Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA), and Just Solutions.

Senator Hirono has long been a champion of Title IX and other efforts to limit harassment and discrimination in federally-funded education programs. In November, she led 130 members of Congress in filing an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in the cases of West Virgina v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox, where the Court will be considering whether categorical bans on transgender students participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity violate Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause. Last Congress, she reintroduced the Patsy T. Mink and Louise M. Slaughter Gender Equity in Education Act (GEEA), which would provide additional resources for ED's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to better implement Title IX. In 2023, she blocked Republicans from passing the anti-transgender Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act-legislation that would have banned transgender women and girls from participating in sports consistent with their gender. Senator Hirono has also introduced legislation to strengthen civil rights protections against harassment and discrimination in schools. On the 50^th anniversary of Title IX, she delivered remarks at the portrait unveiling for the late Congresswoman Patsy Mink at the U.S. Capitol, where she celebrated the life and legacy of Congresswoman Mink, who introduced and championed Title IX.

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