Heritage Action Using Proposed Gender Law as Gauge

Heritage Action for America is using the Defining Male and Female Act, a bill that would define sex based on biology, as a key vote in determining how lawmakers stand on issues conservatives care about.

"The Defining Male and Female Act will prevent any future administration from jeopardizing women's safety, and I am pleased to see Heritage Action scoring a key vote on this critical legislation," Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., who introduced the legislation in July, told The Daily Signal.

When legislation is designated as a key vote, Heritage Action notifies lawmakers that their position on the matter affects their score on the conservative organization's scorecard.

In addition, the lawmakers who co-sponsored Miller's legislation also will get credit on the Heritage scorecard. They are GOP Reps. Debbie Lesko of Arizona, Lisa McClain of Michigan, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Claudia Tenney of New York, Barry Moore of Alabama, Greg Steube of Florida, Doug LaMalfa of California, Keith Self of Texas, Michael Guest of Mississippi, Andy Harris of Maryland, and Alex Mooney of West Virginia.

Miller presented the legislation with the intent of fighting back against the Biden administration's attempts to change Title IX rules. 

"God created man with XY chromosomes and woman with XX chromosomes, and no left-wing politician has the power to change that indisputable fact," Miller said. "The Biden-Harris administration is trying to force the American people to deny reality by allowing biological men to participate in women's sports through its illegal rewrite of Title IX."

The Title IX rule change adds gender identity to the list of sex-based protections, which would allow biological men to participate in female sports and to share spaces such as restrooms or locker rooms. 

"Men and women have distinct biological differences that are obvious to everyone except the left," Janae Stracke, vice president of outreach and advocacy at Heritage Action, said in a written statement about the key vote decision. "The safety, spaces, and opportunities of women and girls across the country are now under constant threat, thanks to the Biden-Harris administration's illegal rewrite of Title IX and the relentless push to force radical gender ideology in America's schools."

Stracke also said Heritage Action is praising Miller for introducing the bill.

"While it is unfortunate that legislation to accurately define sex is necessary, Heritage Action applauds Rep. Miller for taking up this fight to defend science and safety," she said. "[Miller] has the full support of Heritage Action's grassroots army and the vast majority of Americans who accept the biological fact that men cannot be women."

Preliminary injunctions were granted by the U.S. Courts of Appeals in the 5th and 6th circuits on Aug. 16, which blocked the new Biden-Harris rules from taking effect.