Senator Dan Brown’s Legislative Column

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Standing Against the President’s Directive

Earlier this month, the Obama administration issued a directive through the departments of Justice and Education that outlined public schools’ guidelines for transgender facilities access. The letter made it clear that any schools who would not comply with the president’s directive would be held under threat of losing federal funding. I, along with 107 of my fellow Missouri lawmakers, have signed onto a letter drafted by the lieutenant governor that opposes the president’s unconstitutional decree and demands the abusive federal authority be rescinded.

The office of the president cannot be allowed to hold federal funding hostage in order to rewrite laws on a whim. This is an issue that affects local schools and students, and as such, it should be decided on at the local and state level. The president’s directive threatens to overshadow the power of state government and the American people by not allowing their voices to be heard on this issue.

So far, 11 states across the country have refused to comply with the order and have filed suit against the Obama administration. Missouri needs to join these states in standing up against oppressive federal action. Missouri schools should not be put into a position where they are at risk of losing federal funding and local authority. The executive branch’s unconstitutional abuse of authority in this matter is concerning and unallowable. The majority of previous federal and state decisions on this issue are contrary to the president’s wishes, and this strong arm tactic is an attempt to bypass the judicial process and ignore the wishes of the American people.

The president putting our state’s schools in such a position is unacceptable. Please contact your federal elected officials and the office of the president to add your voice to the growing list of Americans opposed to this abuse of power.