A coalition of municipalities, including Harris County (Texas), Columbus (Ohio), Nashville (Tennessee), and Kansas City (Missouri), along with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), secured an injunction against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to prevent the unlawful termination of crucial federal funding. This funding, which provides over $11 billion in grants, is vital for public health efforts to combat infectious diseases and pandemics. The court required HHS to continue issuing these grants while the case progresses but declined to impose a nationwide injunction at this time. The municipalities filed the lawsuit in April, arguing that the federal government cannot simply rescind funding authorized by Congress. The injunction is seen as a temporary win for public health, reflecting the urgent need to address ongoing health threats, such as COVID-19 and measles outbreaks. Key legal representatives emphasized the direct impact of this ruling on public health services nationwide. The Trump administration’s rationale for ending this funding was linked to the claimed cessation of the COVID-19 pandemic, although the terminated programs serve broader public health needs.
Court Upholds Science Amid Trump Administration Cuts to Pandemic Programs
By xpectafight