HR8781Referred to Committee

Title IX Clarification Act of 2026

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Introduced
In Committee
3
Passed One Chamber
4
Passed Both
5
Signed into Law
119th
Congress
2026-05-13
Introduced
44
Cosponsors
HR
ⓘ
Type

Sponsor

Jodey C. Arrington
Jodey C. Arrington
Republican · TX · Representative
Votes with party: 96.3% (651 recorded votes)

Full profile: /officials/A000375

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

Cosponsors (44)

Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.

Latest Action

The most recent step in the bill's legislative path. Committee Activity below shows referrals and reports; the full action-by-action history including floor proceedings lives at Congress.gov →

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 698.

2026-09-08

Source: Congress.gov

Committee Activity

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Plain-English Summary

Title IX Clarification Act of 2026 This bill defines the terms sex , female , and male for purposes of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs that receive federal financial assistance. Specifically, the bill defines sex as an individual’s biologically determined sex, as either male or female. Therefore, Title IX's prohibition on sex discrimination only applies to biological sex under the bill. The bill defines female , when used with respect to a natural person, as an individual who naturally has, had, will have, or would have, but for a congenital anomaly, historical accident, or intentional or unintentional disruption, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes the large gamete (ova) for fertilization. The bill defines male , when used with respect to a natural person, as an individual who naturally has, had, will have, or would have, but for a congenital anomaly, historical accident, or intentional or unintentional disruption, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes the small gamete (sperm) for fertilization. (A January 20, 2025, executive order stated that it is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes—male and female—which are not changeable. On February 4, 2025, the Department of Education announced its intent to enforce its Title IX regulations consistent with this executive order. For more information on the status of these regulations, see LBS11279 .)

Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.

Subjects

Education

Full Bill Text

Verbatim text published on Congress.gov via GovInfo. Use Cmd+F / Ctrl+F to search within this excerpt.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8781 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8781 To clarify that for purposes of Federal nondiscrimination requirements applicable to education programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance, discrimination prohibited under title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is based on the biological reality of sex. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 13, 2026 Mr. Arrington (for himself, Mr. Downing, Mr. McCormick, Mr. Fulcher, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Bost, Ms. Tenney, Mrs. Biggs of South Carolina, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Mr. Rulli, Mr. Steube, Mr. Pfluger, Mr. Stauber, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Massie, Mr. Babin, Mrs. Harshbarger, Mr. Moore of West Virginia, Mr. Smith of Nebraska, Mr. McDowell, Mrs. Fedorchak, and Mr. Mann) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To clarify that for purposes of Federal nondiscrimination requirements applicable to education programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance, discrimination prohibited under title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is based on the biological reality of sex. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Title IX Clarification Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS. Section 901(c) of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681(c)) is amended-- (1) by striking ``title an educational institution'' and inserting the following: ``title-- ``(1) the term `educational institution''', (2) by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon, and (3) by adding at the end the following: ``(2) the term `sex' refers to an individual's biologically determined sex, as either male or female; ``(3) the term `female', when used with respect to a natural person, means an individual who naturally has, had, will have, or would have, but for a congenital anomaly, historical accident, or intentional or unintentional disruption, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes the large gamete (ova) for fertilization; and ``(4) the term `male', when used with respect to a natural person, means an individual who naturally has, had, will have, or would have, but for a congenital anomaly, historical accident, or intentional or unintentional disruption, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes the small gamete (sperm) for fertilization.''. SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION OF AMENDMENTS. (a) Effective Date.--Except as provided in subsection (b), this Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act. (b) Application of Amendments.--The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to education programs and activities for which Federal financial assistance is received on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. <all>
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