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Barr unveils bill allowing the federal government to pull school funding over trans sports policies

In this Oct. 13, 2018 photo, President Donald Trump, left, listens as Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., right, speaks at a rally at Alumni Coliseum in Richmond, Ky. The Lexington-area battle pits third-term Republican Rep. Andy Barr against Democrat Amy McGrath, a retired Marine fighter pilot. Trump won the 6th District by more than 15 percentage points in 2016. But with the help of carefully-shaped campaign ads that went viral, McGrath holds the edge on campaign fundraising. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Andrew Harnik/AP
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AP
In this Oct. 13, 2018 photo, President Donald Trump, left, listens as Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., right, speaks at a rally at Alumni Coliseum in Richmond, Ky. The Lexington-area battle pits third-term Republican Rep. Andy Barr against Democrat Amy McGrath, a retired Marine fighter pilot. Trump won the 6th District by more than 15 percentage points in 2016. But with the help of carefully-shaped campaign ads that went viral, McGrath holds the edge on campaign fundraising. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Kentucky Sixth District Congressman Andy Barr is introducing legislation intended to reinforce an executive order by President Donald Trump aimed at policies surrounding transgender student-athletes.

Months ago, the Trump administration moved to overturn Biden administration guidance on Title IX that required public schools to allow trans students access to school sports teams and sex-segregated facilities aligning with their gender identities.

Trump's order barred students assigned male at birth from participating in girls' and women's sports.

Now, Barr — a Senate candidate — wants to add stronger enforcement mechanisms to the order. If passed, it would condition federal education funding on compliance with the Trump policy.

"The bottom line is that biological boys do not belong in girls' sports — period. Biological men do not belong in the private spaces of our girls and daughters," Barr said on Fox News. "And this bill... would give the Trump administration the tools to enforce President Trump's executive order."

While the NCAA has indicated it intends to comply with the order, Barr argues the bill is necessary to necessary to force compliance at schools or institutions that might push back.

A similar measure passed the US House but did not clear the Senate. The ACLU described that bill as " an ugly effort to codify discrimination."