Federal funding paused over transgender athletes' inclusion in sports at Penn
Some federal funding has been paused to the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) over its policies about transgender athletes.
A senior White House official said about $175 million of federal funding has been stopped for the university.
The official condemned Penn for previously allowing a transgender woman to compete on its female swimming team, “overturning multiple records hard-earned by women, and granting the fully intact male access to the locker room.”
“This is immediate proactive action to review discretionary funding streams to those universities” the official added.
The funding was paused by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense.
The freeze is separate from the Title IX investigation the Department of Education launched in February against Penn and two other universities for allowing transgender athletes on women’s sports teams.
In a statement shared with The Hill, Penn said it did not get any "official notification" of the pause.
"We are aware of media reports suggesting a suspension of $175 million in federal funding to Penn, but have not yet received any official notification or any details,” the university said.
“It is important to note, however, that Penn has always followed NCAA and Ivy League policies regarding student participation on athletic teams. We have been in the past, and remain today, in full compliance with the regulations that apply to not only Penn, but all of our NCAA and Ivy League peer institutions,” the school added.
Fox News Digital first reported on the pause.
The NCAA has banned transgender athletes from competition.
The Hill has reached out to the university for comment.
Penn was at the center of the transgender athletes debate during the 2022 season when student Lia Thomas took fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle.
The university is the latest victim in the Trump administration’s attacks on higher education funding, following cuts to Columbia University and the University of Maine.
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