NEGATIVE LGBTQ+ Rights 119th Congress

H.R.2616 School Gender-Recognition Consent Mandate

Requires public elementary and middle schools, as a condition of receiving funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, to obtain parental consent before changing a minor student's gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form, or changing the student's sex-based accommodations (locker rooms, bathrooms). (119th Congress)

View on Congress.gov

Bill activity

Introduced Apr 3, 2025 by Tim Walberg (R-MI). 4 cosponsors as of Apr 7, 2025. Passed the House May 20, 2026, 217-198.

Reached the House floor after the House Committee on Education and Workforce reported it (H. Rept. 119-441), under a special rule from the Rules Committee (H.Res.1224).

Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY-18) is not listed among the cosponsors of this bill. Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY-18) voted nay on the House roll call counted in grades (roll no. 184, May 20, 2026).

IntroducedApr 3, 2025
Passed HouseMay 20, 2026
Passed Senate
To President
Became Law

Latest action May 21, 2026: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

4 cosponsors:

Burgess Owens (R-UT) Apr 7, 2025
Kevin Kiley (R-CA) Apr 7, 2025
Mary E. Miller (R-IL) Apr 7, 2025
Robert Onder (R-MO) Apr 7, 2025

Cosponsorship closed Jan 13, 2026 (119th Congress): the House Education and Workforce Committee reported the bill.

Activity log

Source: Congress.gov actions

April 2025
Apr 3
Introduced in House
Apr 3
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Apr 7
4 members cosponsored
- Burgess Owens R-UT
- Kevin Kiley R-CA
- Mary E. Miller R-IL
- Robert Onder R-MO
Apr 9
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session HeldHouse
Apr 9
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 12.House
January 2026
Jan 13
Reported (Amended) by the House Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-441.
Jan 13
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 377.House
April 2026
Apr 29
House floor day: vote on the rule (H.Res.1224) (3 steps)
1. 8:12 amRules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1224 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 7567, H.R. 2616, S. Con. Res. 33, S. 1318 and H.R. 1346. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 7567 under a...
2. 11:12 amOn ordering the previous question Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 215 - 210 (Roll no. 140).
3. 1:24 pmPassed/agreed to in House: On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote: 216 - 210 (Roll no. 141).
May 2026
May 20
House floor day: motion to recommit, passage (10 steps)
1. 2:18 pmConsidered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1224.
2. 2:18 pmRule provides for consideration of H.R. 7567, H.R. 2616, S. Con. Res. 33, S. 1318 and H.R. 1346. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 7567 under a structured rule and H.R. 2616, S. Con. Res. 33, S. 1318, and H.R....
3. 2:19 pmDEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 2616.
4. 2:52 pmThe previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
5. 2:52 pmMs. Balint moved to recommit to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. (CR H3658)
6. 2:53 pmThe previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
7. 2:53 pmPOSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 2616, the Chair put the question on motion to recommit and by voice vote, announced the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Walberg demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair...
8. 5:08 pmConsidered as unfinished business.
9. 5:14 pmOn motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 207 - 208 (Roll no. 183).
10. 5:22 pmOn passage Passed by recorded vote: 217 - 198 (Roll no. 184). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H3652)
May 20
House vote: Passage of the billCounted in grades
Passed, 217-198
Of 4 cosponsors: 4 voted yea, 0 voted nay.
Member breakdown · Official House roll call 184
May 20
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.House
May 21
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Votes on this bill

4 votes: 4 recorded roll calls and 0 decided without a recorded vote, 0 of them on amendments. Votes counted in grades are marked.

Apr 29, 202611:12 amHouseVote to end debate on the rule (ordering the previous question)
H.Res.1224On ordering the previous question Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 215 - 210 (Roll no. 140).Agreed to215-210Nay

Party	Yea	Nay	Not voting
Democratic	0	210	2
Republican	214	0	3
Independent	1	0	0
Total	215	210	5

Official House roll call

Apr 29, 20261:24 pmHouseVote on the rule (H.Res.1224)On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote: 216 - 210 (Roll no. 141).Agreed to216-210Nay

Party	Yea	Nay	Not voting
Democratic	0	210	2
Republican	215	0	2
Independent	1	0	0
Total	216	210	4

Official House roll call

May 20, 20265:14 pmHouseMotion to recommit (send the bill back to committee)On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 207 - 208 (Roll no. 183).Failed207-208Yea

Party	Yea	Nay	Not voting
Democratic	207	0	5
Republican	0	207	10
Independent	0	1	0
Total	207	208	15

Official House roll call

May 20, 20265:22 pmHousePassage of the billCounted in gradesOn passage Passed by recorded vote: 217 - 198 (Roll no. 184). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H3652)Passed217-198Nay

Counted in grades

Of 4 cosponsors: 4 voted yea, 0 voted nay. Question voted on: Passage of the bill

Party	Yea	Nay	Not voting
Democratic	8	198	6
Republican	208	0	9
Independent	1	0	0
Total	217	198	15

Official House roll call

Amendments

1 amendment: 1 agreed to.

Agreed to (1)

H.Amdt.220May 20
Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1224, in amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 119-26 is considered adopted.Without a recorded vote

Who Lobbied on This Bill

$1.2M combined quarterly activity

2 lobbying firms

2 clients represented

2025-first_quarter–2026-second_quarter filing period

Policy Areas Covered

Civil Rights/Civil Liberties Education

Government Entities Lobbied

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SENATE

Who Hired the Lobbyists

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
PEN AMERICA nonprofit

Source: Senate LDA filings · Dollar figures are combined quarterly totals for all lobbying by each firm, not bill-specific spend.

Conditions federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act funding (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) on parental sign-off before a school may recognize a minor student's gender markers, pronouns, preferred name, or sex-based accommodations. The CRS-published reported summary of H.R.5 (118th, "Parents Bill of Rights Act") contains the identical provision — H.R.2616 isolates that single section into a standalone bill. The statutory mechanism is parental affirmative-consent as a categorical gate to school recognition of a student's gender identity.