Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Rep. Nancy Mace filed a resolution to restrict bathroom use based on biological sex.
- The proposal follows Sarah McBride's election as the first transgender Congress member.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized dignity and respect but avoided endorsing the resolution.
SALT LAKE CITY — House Republican Rep. Nancy Mace has proposed a resolution to prohibit House members and employees from using bathrooms, changing rooms and locker rooms that don't correspond to their biological sex.
The South Carolina lawmaker's resolution, filed Monday, comes after Delaware Democrat Sarah McBride became the first transgender person elected to Congress.
The resolution is two pages and says the sergeant-at-arms for the House of Representatives would be tasked with enforcement. The resolution would apply to House members, officers and employees.
"I know how vulnerable women and girls are in private spaces so I'm absolutely 100% going to stand in the way of any man who wants to be in a women's restroom, in our locker rooms, in our changing rooms," said Mace to the New York Post. "I will be there fighting every step of the way."
Mace said the resolution was in response to McBride.
McBride seemingly responded to the resolution in a social media post, saying, "Every day Americans go to work with people who have life journeys different than their own and engage with them respectfully, I hope members of Congress can muster that same kindness." The Delaware representative-elect added the issue was a distraction from the real problems Americans were facing.
Speaker Johnson responds to questions
Speaking to Axios, Mace said House Speaker Mike Johnson "said to me last night that he would include it in House Rules."
So far, the Louisiana Republican hasn't said that to the press. Reporters at a press conference Tuesday asked Johnson whether or not he supported the resolution. According to The Hill, he responded by saying he was "not going to engage in silly debates about this." He said the House will accommodate the needs of every single person, and it will address the issue in a deliberate fashion.
"We welcome all members with open arms who are newly elected representatives of the people. I believe it's a — it's a command," said Johnson. "We treat all persons with dignity and respect."
Hours after these initial comments, Johnson spoke to media again.
"For anyone who doesn't know my established record on this issue, let me be unequivocally clear: A man is a man, and a woman is a woman, and a man cannot become a woman," said Johnson. "That said, I also believe that's what scripture teaches, what I just said, but I also believe we treat everybody with dignity. We can do and believe all those things at the same time."
When asked if the resolution would make it into the rules package, Johnson didn't directly answer the question.
"I'm not going to engage in this," said Johnson. "We don't look down upon anyone. We treat everybody with dignity. We'll provide appropriate accommodation for every member of Congress."
The House votes to approve rules in early January, so if the resolution were to be part of the rules package, that's when the vote would be. Mace told Politico if Johnson didn't include it in rules, she would file a privileged motion to force a vote on it.
The Hill also reported Mace is looking at legislation that would require people to use only single-sex facilities that correspond to their biological sex across all federal buildings.
"I'm working on legislation that would ban it on federal property," said Mace, adding, "If you are a school that is funded by the federal government, this shouldn't go on."
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill into law earlier this year that requires people to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond to their biological sex with exceptions for people who underwent surgery or changed their sex on their birth certificates. The law applies to government owned buildings and public schools. New government buildings are required to have single-occupant bathrooms.
