The U.S. Department of Agriculture has restored funding to the University of Maine System after a sudden funding freeze earlier in the week. The freeze, which was part of an ongoing dispute between the Trump administration and Maine over transgender athlete policies, threatened the university’s $64 million in active USDA awards. Sen. Susan Collins’ office was instrumental in reversing the freeze after talks with USDA and White House officials. This move was seen as a positive development by university officials, who were grateful for Collins’ efforts.
Maine’s transgender athlete policies have been a point of contention between the state and the Trump administration, leading to investigations and funding freezes by federal agencies. The USDA halted funding to the University of Maine System as part of a review of potential violations of Title IX, a law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools. Questions arose regarding whether biological males could compete on women’s sports teams, in line with recent Trump administration directives.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the freeze and reversal, the restoration of USDA funding was welcomed by Maine’s agriculture, aquaculture, and forestry industries, as well as the university itself. Sen. Collins emphasized the importance of this funding to the state’s economy in a statement. The ongoing conflict between the Trump administration and Maine over transgender athlete policies continues to raise concerns and draw attention to the legal implications of such policies on a national scale.
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