Defending Our Daughters: Cook Urges Residents in the 50th to Make the Promise

January 7, 2026

HARRISBURG – Continuing his advocacy for fairness in women’s sports, Rep. Bud Cook (R-Greene/Washington) 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.

“Let’s be clear: men don't belong in women's sports,” Cook said. “We must stand together to protect fairness and opportunity for every female athlete in Pennsylvania.”

The “I Believe” promise is available online for people to sign at defendingdaughters.com. Hard copies are also available at Cook’s Waynesburg office, 1640 E. High St., Waynesburg; West Greene office, 1367 Hargus Creek Road., Waynesburg; and California Center in the Woods office, 130 Woodland Court, Brownsville. 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 Bud Cook
50th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Andrew Forgotch
717.772.9905
aforgotch@pahousegop.com
RepBudCook.com / Facebook.com/RepBudCook