23 States Sue Trump Administration Over $12 Billion in Public Health Cuts
Twenty-three states and Washington, D.C., are suing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over the unlawful rescission of $12 billion in public health funding. The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order to halt the cuts, which will reportedly eliminate crucial public health services and cost thousands of healthcare jobs. The states argue that the funds, while initially allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic, supported long-term public health infrastructure and were not solely for pandemic response. The plaintiffs contend that HHS lacks the authority to unilaterally rescind congressionally appropriated funds, thereby undermining the legislative branch’s power.
John Q. Hosedrinker