Kentucky senator urges Hegseth to allow athletic activities at Department of Defense schools during shutdown

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) — Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday calling for him to allow athletic and extracurricular activities at Department of Defense Education Activity schools to continue during the government shutdown.

In the letter, Sen. McConnell highlighted the cancellation of football games at Fort Campbell and Fort Knox, which he said could risk disrupting student-athletes’ aspirations of competing at the college level. ‘

McLean County High School’s football team had been scheduled to face Fort Knox on Friday, Oct. 3.

McConnell praised Hegseth’s emphasis on physical fitness for members of the armed forces, but said the children of service members at the high schools should not have to pay the price for the government shutdown. Senator McConnell was expected to speak on the Senate floor on Friday morning.