Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., on Tuesday blasted Education Secretary Miguel Cardona over proposed regulations on transgender athletes participating in the nation's school sports programs, accusing Cardona of basing the rule on "woke politics" rather than science.
"I would suggest, Mr. Secretary, you didn't base [this rule] on science," Harris, also a medical doctor, told Cardona during a House Appropriations Committee hearing concerning the Department of Education's budget, reported The Washington Examiner.
"You based it on woke politics, which is rampant through your department and the reason why we continue to fail on an international scale," Harris added.
The proposed regulation would require elementary school sports programs to allow students to compete with teams matching their stated gender identities, not their biological sex.
Harris also said Tuesday that he's proud to be one of the 161 representatives who supports the abolishment of Cardona's department, saying "we need to completely rethink" it.
Harris also grilled Cardona on the closure of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether that scientific evidence was used in making that decision.
"The decision to temporarily close schools to protect students and families and educators was made at the local level, and it was the right decision," Cardona replied, but Harris disagreed.
"The scientific evidence is pretty clear that children are at very low risk," he told Cardona. "All we did was harm our standing in the international community with regards to our performance by students."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.