Defending Our Daughters: Make the Promise

January 7, 2026

HARRISBURG – Continuing their advocacy for fairness in women’s sports, Reps. Roman Kozak (R-Beaver) and Joshua D. Kail (R-Beaver/Washington) are inviting people to join the “Defending Our Daughters” campaign to show support for the Commonwealth’s female athletes.

All Pennsylvanians are invited to sign the “I Believe” promise to highlight the rights of girls to have a safe, fair and equal playing field; to compete to win games, championships and titles; to earn scholarships; and to have private locker rooms spaces, without males being present.

The promise also reinforces the shared responsibility of all Pennsylvanians, and specifically the state’s leaders, to get off the sidelines to protect and defend female athletes.

“Female athletes train for years to earn roster spots, records, scholarships and championships. Those opportunities can only exist when competition is fair and rules are clear. Since 2020, 66 girls in Pennsylvania have had medals or placements stolen from them by boys. One is too many, but 66 is a travesty. All those athletes deserve better, and the women and girls of Pennsylvania deserve better.”

“For my daughters, sports are a great audition for life; they learn resilience, discipline, teamwork and fair play. Allowing biological males to play in girls’ sports is insane and will ruin that forum for our daughters. I won’t stand idly by and watch girls’ sports become dangerous and be destroyed by ludicrous public policy,” said Kail. “I hope to see residents in Beaver and Washington counties join me in this worthwhile fight.”

The “I Believe” promise is available online for people to sign at defendingdaughters.com. Hard copies are also available in Kozak’s office, located in the Chippewa Township Municipal Building, and Kail’s offices, located at 690 State Ave. in Beaver and 1569 Smith Township Road, Suite 5, in Atlasburg. The information will be shared with Gov. Josh Shapiro and House leaders to support action on the issue this year.

So far this session, majority House Democrats have avoided votes on three different bills aimed at protecting women’s sports. Senate Bill 9, which passed the Senate with bipartisan support in May, was initially – and appropriately – referred to the House Education Committee. To avoid a discharge resolution, the bill was re-referred to the Health Committee and is now in the Judiciary Committee. House Bills 158 and 1849 were also initially referred to the Education Committee but were re-referred to Judiciary in December, also to avoid discharge resolutions that would force a vote on the bills.

Representative Roman Kozak
14th District
Representative Joshua Kail
15th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Kozak contact: Jake Gillespie (717.772.9834)
Kail contact: Nate Temple (717.260.6396)