Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it would interpret a prohibition on discrimination based on "sex" found in Title IX to include "sexual orientation and gender identity."
Based on a directive in a May memo, this will expand the "sex" discrimination definition found in the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 amended by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and make school meal programs contingent on how a state's education policymakers direct public schools to regulate so-called gender identity concerns.
In the memorandum, the USDA directed state agencies and Food and Nutrition Act program operators to "expeditiously review their program discrimination complaint procedures and make any changes necessary to ensure complaints alleging discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation are processed and evaluated as complaints of discrimination on the basis of sex."
U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) joined 13 Republican House colleagues in a letter sent to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack calling for the USDA to rescind the policy.
"Millions of students receive benefits from your department every day," the letter said. "The National School Lunch Program provides over a billion lunches to students during a given year. Any 'changes' to the discrimination allegations procedures would only harm students and force upon them the Biden administration's transgender agenda. This is unacceptable and goes far beyond the authority of your department. You must rescind this policy change."
Moore joined Reps. Mary Miller (R-Ill.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), Glenn Grothman (R-Wisc.), Lauren Boebert (R-Co.), Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Dianna Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), and Bob Good (R-Va.).
The USDA memo could come into play for Alabama. Earlier this year, the state legislature passed a law (HB 322) directing public schools to require students to use the restroom that corresponds with their biological gender.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email jeff.poor@1819News.com.
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