Defending Our Daughters: Make the Promise

January 8, 2026

HARRISBURG – Continuing his advocacy for fairness in women’s sports, Rep. Robert Leadbeter (R-Columbia) is 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. 

“The status quo is enabling and emboldening the radical left-wing to continue its malicious assault on our girls and daughters,” said Leadbeter. “My two daughters, like many girls in this Commonwealth, should never have to fear for their safety or lose athletic opportunities at the hands of boys pretending to be girls. This is a direct infringement on Columbia County’s conservative values, and I refuse to sit idly by and not defend them. We must act now to save the sanctity of girls’ sports.”    

The “I Believe” promise is available online for people to sign at defendingdaughters.com. Hard copies are also available in his Berwick district office, located at 134 W. Front St., Suite 102, as well as his Catawissa district office at 555 River Hill Drive. 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.