Sponsors (2)
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, Education and Workforce, Homeland Security, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Last progress June 12, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on June 12, 2025 by Buddy Carter
Requires federal agencies to treat “sex” as an immutable biological category (male or female) distinct from “gender identity,” and directs agencies to change forms, policies, and guidance to reflect that definition. It mandates that single‑sex “intimate spaces” (like prisons, shelters, and bathrooms) be segregated by biological sex, limits federal funding and federal support that promote what the law calls “gender ideology,” and directs federal law‑enforcement and civil‑rights offices to prioritize investigations and litigation defending those rules. The law also requires regular agency reporting on implementation, rescission of conflicting guidance, and states that it creates no new private right of action and includes a severability clause.
Defines “sex” as an individual’s immutable biological classification as either male or female and states that “sex” is not a synonym for, and does not include, the concept of gender identity.
Defines “women,” “woman,” “girls,” and “girl” to mean an adult or juvenile human female, respectively.
Defines “men,” “man,” “boys,” and “boy” to mean an adult or juvenile human male, respectively.
Defines “female” as a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell.
Defines “male” as a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the small reproductive cell.
Who is affected and how
Transgender and gender‑diverse people: Directly affected by requirements that sex be recorded and recognized only as male/female, restrictions on access to single‑sex spaces based on gender identity, and limits on federal funding for programs or services that recognize or support gender identity. Policies could bar individuals who identify as a different gender from using facilities that match their gender identity and could limit access to gender‑affirming healthcare in federally funded settings.
Federal agencies and employees: Must update definitions, forms, databases, regulations, and guidance; rescind or revise prior guidance; and report implementation steps to OMB. These tasks create administrative burdens, compliance costs, and potential legal exposure if conflicting laws or court orders exist.
Incarcerated people and prison administrators: Must follow directives to house and treat inmates by biological sex; medical treatments intended to make inmates appear as the opposite sex are prohibited with respect to federal funding. State and local prisons that receive federal funds or participate in federal programs may face conditions or requirements to change placement and care policies.
Federally funded shelters, service providers, and grant recipients: May face new requirements or funding limits related to admission policies, staff training, intake forms, and program eligibility if their programs are deemed to promote “gender ideology.” Providers of single‑sex services (for example, women’s shelters or rape crisis centers) may see protective rules but could also face new compliance obligations.
Health care providers and insurers: Providers that receive federal funds or participate in federal programs may need to change intake and billing records, limit certain treatments in federally funded settings, and navigate conflicts between this Act and medical‑professional standards or state laws offering gender‑affirming care.
Employers and workplaces with federally funded programs or subject to federal civil‑rights enforcement: May need to revise policies on bathrooms, locker rooms, dress codes, and single‑sex facilities; federal contractors could face compliance requirements tied to contract terms.
Civil‑rights enforcement and the courts: The Act directs DOJ, EEOC, DOL, and other enforcement offices to prioritize enforcement of the Act’s protections; this will shift investigatory and litigation priorities and could increase federal litigation over sex‑segregation and related policies. However, the Act also disclaims creating a new private right to sue the U.S., which limits one category of litigation.
Potential legal and practical consequences
Conflicts with existing law and court precedent: The Act’s directive that it overrides conflicting laws and its required rescission of prior guidance could create legal challenges where federal courts or long‑standing statutory interpretations protect gender‑identity rights. Litigation is likely over constitutional claims (equal protection, due process), statutory interpretation (Title VII, Title IX), and preemption issues.
Administrative burden and costs: Agencies and grantees will incur costs to change records, issue new guidance, and implement new placement and intake rules. States and local governments that receive federal funds may also see administrative impacts.
Access to services and public safety implications: Changes in shelter and prison placement policies may affect safety, privacy, and access to care for multiple groups (women, transgender people, victims of sexual assault). Providers may change admission policies to comply with new funding conditions, with potential impacts on service availability.
Enforcement and chilling effects: Prioritization of enforcement actions and limits on funding could chill trainings, programs, and communications related to gender identity in federally funded settings, potentially reducing public‑education and anti‑discrimination efforts.
Overall assessment: The legislation would produce broad administrative changes across the federal government and for many federally funded programs, with particularly direct and significant impacts on transgender and gender‑diverse people, incarcerated populations, health‑care and social‑service providers, and civil‑rights enforcement priorities.