Washington, D.C.- Today, Congressman Smith led the Missouri Congressional Delegation in calling on Attorney General Chris Koster to join the 11-state federal lawsuit against the Obama Administration’s transgender bathroom guidance in order to protect students in Missouri. The Obama administration and Departments of Education and Justice recently issued a guidance that directs public schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms that match their gender identity. If a state fails to comply with this bathroom directive, it will risk losing federal education funding.‎

Upon sending the letter, Rep Smith stated, “The Obama Administration’s attempt to intimidate Missouri public schools by threatening to pull funding if they don’t comply with this ridiculous and unsafe new executive action is unconstitutional and outrageous. Something must be done to protect children of our public schools across Missouri.”
 
Smith continued, “It is imperative that Attorney General Koster join in filing the 11- state federal lawsuit, he has already stated that the President was “wrong to dictate a national policy so quickly and unilaterally”, now is the time to act.”
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The lawsuit brought by officials from 11 states asks the court to block the federal government from “implementing, applying or enforcing the new rules, regulations and guidance interpretations.” This is the first suit filed against the Obama administration in response to its controversial transgender bathroom directive. States in the suit include Texas, Alabama, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona, Maine, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Utah and Georgia.