Football is back at military base schools — a decision hailed by Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell who last week urged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to allow extracurricular activities, especially football, to continue during the federal government shutdown.
Stars and Stripes reports that word came down Tuesday that athletics and other extracurricular activities, which had been canceled because of the shutdown, could resume.
In his Friday letter to Hegseth, McConnell hand printed “URGENT!!” alongside his signature.
McConnell issued a statement late Tuesday thanking Hegseth and saying the decision “provides welcome relief to the Fort Campbell and Fort Knox schools and their students, student-athletes, parents, and everyone who supports their school programs.”
Blaming Democrats for the shutdown, McConnell, the former Senate Republican leader, also said, “Our servicemembers and their children shouldn’t pay the price for Washington’s failure to fund the government. I’m so grateful they’ll now be able to suit up and get back in the game.”
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