Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06) introduced the Daughters of the American Revolution Membership Integrity Act, which would amend the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)’s federal charter to add a membership eligibility requirement that limits membership to an individual who is a woman and otherwise satisfies the genealogical and membership qualifications established by the corporation.
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Quote Attributable to Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06):
“The DAR has a longstanding tradition of celebrating and empowering women who represent the exceptional heritage of the birth of our Nation. However, as we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, the organization has now abandoned the very principles on which it was founded. Rather than honoring and preserving a lineage-based organization for women, it has embraced radical gender ideology at the expense of the women it was created to serve. The Daughters of the American Revolution Membership Integrity Act is common-sense legislation that requires the Congressionally-charted DAR to return to serving the true daughters of the American Revolution,” said Rep. Cline.
Quote Attributable to Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee:
“The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) was founded in 1890 to empower women to celebrate their unique legacy in the American founding, but today, the organization is insulting the very women it was designed to serve by denying the inherent dignity of womanhood and embracing radical gender ideology. Being a “daughter” of the Revolution is no longer a stipulation of membership, and the once highly selective organization now allows men masquerading as women to join the DAR’s ranks. This month, the Supreme Court of the United States decided that womanhood belongs to biological women. DAR has a responsibility to the American public to uphold that common-sense truth, and Congressman Ben Cline’s Daughters of the American Revolution Membership Integrity Act will ensure that DAR belongs to the real daughters of the American Revolution, not to sons,” said Penny Nance.
Quote Attributable to Terry Schilling, President of American Principles Project:
“The Daughters of the American Revolution have been staunch defenders of our American heritage for over 135 years. It’s no surprise, then, that the radical left has made the DAR their next target, attempting to force this storied organization to allow biological males into their ranks. This is why the American Principles Project enthusiastically endorses Congressman Ben Cline’s Daughters of the American Revolution Membership Integrity Act, legislation which would preserve the DAR’s longstanding female-only membership. At a time when almost every women’s space is under attack by gender ideologues, it is crucial that Americans of common sense stand up against this insanity. We commend Rep. Cline for his leadership on this issue and urge all members to support this bill,” said Terry Schilling.
Quote Attributable to Daniel West, Government Relations Director for Heritage Action:
“Until the left gave up on biological reality, it was understood The DAUGHTERS of the American Revolution was a women’s only group. Rep. Cline’s self-evident legislation reaffirms that membership in this storied institution is reserved for women and prevents confused men from interfering in a federally chartered women’s society. Heritage Action will not allow woke virtue-signaling to degrade historic organizations like the DAR,” said Daniel West.
Quote Attributable to Beth Parlato, Senior Legal Counsel of Independent Women:
“Women have the legal right to maintain institutions, spaces, and opportunities of their own. The Daughters of the American Revolution was founded by women, for women, and its identity should not be erased to satisfy “gender ideology.” Congressman Cline’s legislation recognizes a simple truth: a women’s organization must be allowed to remain a women’s organization. Independent Women is proud to support the Daughters of the American Revolution Membership Integrity Act and its effort to protect the integrity and legacy of this historic institution,” said Beth Parlato.
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Background: In 2024, the Daughters of the American Revolution adopted a non-discrimination provision that its current leadership has interpreted as preventing the organization from denying membership based on an applicant’s transgender identity.
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