On Wednesday, July 15, 2026, Republican Representative Ben Cline of Virginia introduced the Daughters of the American Revolution Membership Integrity Act. The bill mandates that the Congressionally-charted Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) restrict its membership exclusively to biological women, aligning with the organization's original mission.

Cline criticized the DAR for abandoning its founding principles amid America's 250th anniversary celebrations, stating, "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 legislation follows the DAR's June 26 vote, which rejected a measure to limit membership to those "born female" by a margin of 1,481 to 984, according to the New York Post. Cline's office noted that the bill has garnered support from groups including Concerned Women for America, American Principles Project, Independent Women Forum, and the Heritage Foundation.

The bill aims to ensure the DAR's congressional charter reflects its historical purpose after the organization adopted a policy interpreted as allowing transgender applicants.

The entrance to the Daughters of the American Revolution headquarters at Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C.

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