05-29-2025

National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, 2025

ProclamationView the Original .pdf
View the Original .pdf

The 1-Minute Brief

What: This is a presidential proclamation by Donald J. Trump designating May 2025 as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. It encourages Americans to be physically active and highlights the administration's efforts to improve public health, including the "Make America Healthy Again Commission" and executive orders related to youth sports and the participation of transgender athletes in women's sports.

Money: This proclamation does not directly appropriate any funds. However, the initiatives it mentions, such as the Make America Healthy Again Commission and various executive orders, may have financial implications through the implementation of their recommendations and enforcement. The proclamation itself is a ceremonial declaration.

Your Impact: For the average American, this proclamation serves as a reminder and encouragement to engage in physical fitness and sports. It also signals the administration's policy priorities regarding public health and controversial social issues in sports.

Status: This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on May 29, 2025.

What's Actually in the Bill

This Presidential Proclamation designates May 2025 as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, calling on Americans to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives. The text frames physical fitness as a solution to what it describes as a national health crisis, citing the U.S.'s lagging life expectancy and high rates of chronic disease.

Core Provisions:

  • Designation: Declares May 2025 as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month.
  • Call to Action: Urges the people of the United States to participate in physical fitness and sports.
  • Highlights Administration Initiatives:
    • The appointment of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
    • The establishment of the "Make America Healthy Again Commission" to address chronic diseases in children.
    • An executive order to expand children's participation in sports.
    • An executive order to prevent biological men from competing in women's sports.

Stated Purpose (from the Sponsors):

The stated purpose is to celebrate the role of physical fitness and sports in achieving longer, healthier lives.

  1. To encourage physical activity to improve national health outcomes.
  2. To highlight the administration's commitment to public health and fitness.
  3. To ensure safety and fairness in sports, particularly for female athletes.

Key Facts:

Affected Sectors: Healthcare, Sports, Education.
Timeline: May 2025.
Scope: Nationwide call to action for all American citizens.

The Backstory: How We Got Here

Timeline of Events:

The President's Council and National Fitness Month (1950s-Present):

  • 1956: President Eisenhower created the President's Council on Youth Fitness to address concerns about the fitness levels of American youth.
  • Early 1960s: President Kennedy expanded the council's focus to include people of all ages, renaming it the President's Council on Physical Fitness.
  • 1983: The President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition initiated National Physical Fitness and Sports Month to encourage Americans to lead healthier lives through physical activity. Each president since has issued a proclamation for the month of May.

Recent Health and Sports Policy Developments (2020s):

  • February 2025: President Trump signed an executive order establishing the "Make America Healthy Again Commission," chaired by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to investigate the causes of chronic diseases in children.
  • February 2025: President Trump signed an executive order titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports," which mandates that Title IX be interpreted to ban transgender women from competing in female sports at institutions receiving federal funding. This followed the passage of a similar bill in the House of Representatives.
  • August 2025: President Trump signed an executive order to revive the Presidential Fitness Test and the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition.

Why Now? The Political Calculus:

  • The proclamation aligns with a long-standing tradition of promoting physical fitness.
  • The inclusion of the "Make America Healthy Again" initiative and the executive order on transgender athletes in sports serves to highlight key policy priorities of the Trump administration, particularly those that resonate with its political base. The debate over transgender athletes in sports has become a significant issue, with public opinion polls showing that a majority of Americans believe athletes should compete on teams that match their sex assigned at birth.

Your Real-World Impact

The Direct Answer: This proclamation directly affects most Americans by encouraging a healthy lifestyle, while also highlighting administration policies that impact specific groups, particularly in the areas of public health and school sports.

What Could Change for You:

Potential Benefits:

  • Increased awareness of the importance of physical fitness for overall health.
  • Potential for new or expanded school-based programs related to physical fitness and nutrition.

Possible Disruptions or Costs:

Short-term (Transition Period):

  • School districts and athletic associations may need to review and potentially alter their policies regarding the participation of transgender athletes to align with the administration's executive orders and avoid loss of federal funding.

Long-term:

  • The administration's focus on specific causes of chronic illness through the "Make America Healthy Again Commission" could lead to changes in food and environmental regulations.
  • The executive order on women's sports could permanently alter the landscape of competitive school sports for transgender athletes.

Who's Most Affected:

Primary Groups: Student athletes, especially transgender athletes, and school administrators.
Secondary Groups: Public health organizations, the food and beverage industry, and parents of school-aged children.
Regional Impact: The impact may be more pronounced in states with existing laws that conflict with the administration's policies on transgender athlete participation.

Bottom Line: While the proclamation itself is largely a ceremonial call for better health, the policies it promotes could lead to significant changes in public health initiatives and regulations for scholastic sports.

Where the Parties Stand

Republican Position: "Protecting Women's Sports and Promoting Health"

Core Stance: The Republican party generally supports measures to promote public health through individual responsibility and has taken a firm stance on requiring athletes to compete on teams corresponding to their sex at birth.

Their Arguments:

  • ✓ They support initiatives to increase physical activity and combat chronic disease.
  • ✓ They argue that allowing biological males to compete in women's sports is unfair and unsafe for female athletes.
  • ⚠️ The party's platform has moved away from calls to repeal the Affordable Care Act and cut Medicare, reflecting a shift in public opinion.
  • ✗ They generally oppose government-run healthcare systems and mandates that they view as infringing on individual or parental rights.

Legislative Strategy: The party has focused on using executive orders to enact policy on issues like transgender sports participation and has introduced legislation like the "Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act." Their public health platform emphasizes deregulation and market-based solutions.

Democratic Position: "Healthcare as a Right and Inclusivity in Sports"

Core Stance: The Democratic party advocates for expanded access to affordable healthcare and supports the right of transgender individuals to participate in sports in accordance with their gender identity.

Their Arguments:

  • ✓ They strongly support the Affordable Care Act and programs like Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.
  • ✓ They advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, including the right of transgender athletes to compete.
  • ⚠️ The party is somewhat divided on the issue of transgender athletes in women's sports, with some members expressing concerns about competitive fairness. A small number of Democrats have voted for Republican-led bills on this issue.
  • ✗ They oppose the repeal of the ACA and efforts to block-grant Medicaid. They also largely oppose bans on transgender athletes, viewing them as discriminatory.

Legislative Strategy: Democrats have focused on defending and expanding the Affordable Care Act and have generally opposed federal legislation that would restrict the participation of transgender athletes, arguing it should be a local issue. They have also championed legislation to protect LGBTQ+ rights.

Constitutional Check

The Verdict: ✓ Constitutional

Basis of Authority:

A presidential proclamation is an official statement from the president. While many are ceremonial, they can be legally binding if based on authority granted to the president by the Constitution or statute. The president's authority to issue proclamations is implied under Article II of the Constitution.

Article II of the Constitution: "The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America."

Constitutional Implications:

Executive Authority: This proclamation is primarily ceremonial, a tradition followed by presidents since 1983 to promote public health. Proclamations themselves do not have the force of law unless tied to a specific act of Congress.
Precedent: Every president since Ronald Reagan has issued a proclamation for National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. The initiatives mentioned, like the executive orders, are separate executive actions with their own legal basis.
Federalism: While the proclamation itself doesn't overstep state powers, the executive orders it references, particularly concerning sports participation in schools, do raise questions of federalism as they tie federal funding to compliance with federal policy, an area that often overlaps with state and local control over education.

Potential Legal Challenges:

The proclamation itself is unlikely to face legal challenges. However, the executive order "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" is more susceptible to legal action. Challenges could come from civil liberties groups, student-athletes, and school districts, likely arguing that the order is discriminatory and oversteps the executive branch's authority to interpret Title IX.

Your Action Options

TO SUPPORT THIS PROCLAMATION AND ITS INITIATIVES

5-Minute Actions:

  • Call Your Rep/Senators: Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 "I'm a constituent from [Your City/Town] and I urge [Rep./Sen. Name] to support policies that protect women's sports and promote public health."

30-Minute Deep Dive:

  • Write a Detailed Email: Contact members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions to express your support for the administration's policies on health and sports.
  • Join an Organization: Consider joining organizations that advocate for policies you support.

TO OPPOSE THIS PROCLAMATION AND ITS INITIATIVES

5-Minute Actions:

  • Call Your Rep/Senators: Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 "I'm a constituent from [Your City/Town] and I urge [Rep./Sen. Name] to oppose policies that discriminate against transgender athletes and to support inclusive public health initiatives."

30-Minute Deep Dive:

  • Write a Letter to the Editor: Submit a letter to your local newspaper outlining your opposition to the administration's stance on transgender athletes and its approach to public health.
  • Join an Organization: Consider joining organizations like the ACLU or GLSEN that advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and inclusive policies.