Portland, Maine – The administration of President Donald Trump agreed on Friday to stop all efforts to freeze the funds for a Maine Child Nutrition program after initially suspending those dollars due to a disagreement between state athletes and Trump on transgender.
In response, the State will eliminate its lawsuit that had been filed against the United States Department of Agriculture, announced the attorney general of Maine Aaron Frey.
“It is unfortunate that my office has had to resort to the Federal Court only for the USDA to comply with the law and its own regulations,” Frey said in a statement. “But we are pleased that demand has been resolved and that Maine continues to receive funds as indicated by Congress to feed vulnerable children and adults.”
An email message seeking comments was sent on Friday to the Department of Agriculture.
The agreement closes a dispute first caused by the Federal Government’s decision to freeze federal funds to Maine for certain administrative and technological functions in the State Schools.
A letter from the Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, explained that the decision arose from a disagreement between state and federal governments on whether Maine was complying with title IX, the federal law that prohibits discrimination in sex based on sex. Trump had accused Maine of not complying with his executive order that except for the transgender athletes of sports.
Shortly after the Secretary’s letter was sent, the Maine Department of Education could not access several federal funds for a state nutrition program, according to the written order of the Court.
Maine quickly sued the Trump administration, where state lawyers argued that the Child Nutrition Program received or had to receive more than $ 1.8 million for the current fiscal year. The previous year of the year that were granted but are currently inaccessible in a total of more than $ 900,000, according to the demand. The lawsuit also said that the program anticipated around $ 3 million that are generally awarded every July by the administration of the summer meal program and food reimbursement.
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to defrost the funds last month after discovering that Maine was probably successful in his legal challenge.
