The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that it will review more than $100 million of funding to ensure that it is not being used to violate federal law, following the state’s “disregard” for Trump’s executive order against transgender athletes.
On Feb. 22, USDA announced that it had “initiated a compliance review of the University of Maine following the State of Maine’s blatant disregard for President Trump’s Executive Order 14201, Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”
“President Trump has made it abundantly clear: taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars will not support institutions that discriminate against women,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. “USDA is committed to upholding the President’s executive order, meaning any institution that chooses to disregard it can count on losing future funding.”
The agency stated in a press release that it will attempt to ensure the $100 million that the University of Maine receives in USDA funding does not go toward violating federal law, including Title IX.
“Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities that receive federal funding,” the agency announced. “Compliance with federal law is mandatory for institutions to continue receiving taxpayer funded support, including USDA grants.”
Maine Gov. Janet Mills recently clashed with Trump over his executive order. She resisted the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” order and said she would “see” Trump “in court,” according to Fox News.
“The governor of Maine,” Trump said following the exchange, “she’s fighting to keep men in women’s sports.”
University of Maine spokesperson Samantha Warren told Campus Reform in an emailed statement that the university is committed to complying with federal law.
“The University of Maine System appreciates the media making us aware of the USDA’s letter, which recognizes our flagship’s record of success in securing funding from that agency but notably makes no allegations of any wrongdoing,” Warren said.
“Maine’s public universities will continue to comply with all relevant State and Federal laws and cooperate with any compliance reviews to ensure postsecondary educational opportunities and high-impact research continue to benefit our students, the state and this nation,” Warren concluded.
Campus Reform has previously reported that President Trump’s executive order was met with support from women’s sports advocates.
“This executive order is such a win,” said Paula Scanlan, a former NCAA athlete “and it is a win for the young girls, not just the NCAA champions, but for the middle-school athletes, for the benchwarmers, for the girls who are just breaking into the bottom of the roster.”
This article was originally published at campusreform.org
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