Senator Bill Cassidy, a prominent Republican from Louisiana, has initiated an investigation into more than a dozen blue states and Washington, D.C., for alleged non-compliance with President Donald Trump’s executive order concerning transgender athletes in women’s sports. The probe is scrutinizing states for violating Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funding. The order, issued by Trump, seeks to limit the participation of biological male athletes in female sports programs, a policy that Cassidy believes was altered by former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Cassidy, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, is specifically looking into states that are accused of allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports and promoting policies that result in shared access to locker rooms and bathrooms. The senator claims these actions are in direct violation of Title IX as interpreted under Trump’s revised guidelines. His investigation includes states such as California, Colorado, and New York, where he has sent 19 letters requesting detailed information about their Title IX policies and compliance with Trump’s order.
Cassidy has emphasized the need to ensure that states receiving federal financial assistance for education programs adhere to legal standards. The senator has given educational institutions and state agencies until December 8 to respond to his inquiry, providing comprehensive data on their policies and practices. This probe comes as the Supreme Court is set to hear cases that may reshape Title IX enforcement and the rights of trans athletes in women’s sports. The legal battle over Title IX highlights broader tensions in U.S. education policy, with the current administration seeking to reverse previous regulations and uphold traditional definitions of sex.