Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL) joined House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) at a women’s leadership luncheon on Capitol Hill to reaffirm her unwavering commitment to protecting women’s sports and ensuring fairness, safety, and equal opportunity for female athletes.
During the event, Rep. Cammack shared the resistance she faced when raising the issue of protecting women’s sports while serving as chair of the bipartisan Women’s Caucus.
“In the final minutes of a meeting to determine the initiatives we would champion, I suggested we take a position on protecting women’s sports,” Cammack said. “What followed was immediate pushback and accusations simply for raising the issue. That moment made it clear to me that we could not stay silent.”
Following that experience, Rep. Cammack founded the Republican Women’s Caucus to ensure women have a dedicated platform to defend their rights and preserve the integrity of women’s athletics.
The luncheon featured female athletes who have directly experienced competing against male athletes in girls’ sports, including Payton McNabb, a former high school volleyball player who suffered a severe concussion, brain bleed, and permanent whiplash in 2022 after being struck in the face by a male athlete competing on a girls’ team.
“All of this could have been avoided,” McNabb said. “My life changed completely in an instant. I lost my ability to play the sport I loved and had to fight through months of recovery and academic challenges.”
Rep. Cammack emphasized that stories like McNabb’s underscore the real-world consequences of policies that ignore biological differences in athletics.
“This is not about exclusion. It is about protection,” Cammack said. “Women’s sports were created to ensure equal opportunity and fair competition. We have a responsibility to safeguard that legacy for the next generation.”
Rep. Cammack will continue working with House leadership, including Majority Whip Emmer, to advance legislation that protects women’s sports, preserves competitive fairness, and prioritizes the safety of female athletes nationwide.
