23 States and D.C. Sue HHS Over Funding Cuts

A coalition of 23 states and Washington, D.C., has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., challenging the termination of $12 billion in public health funding. This funding, originally allocated to bolster public health systems during the COVID-19 pandemic, is now deemed unnecessary by the HHS as the pandemic is considered over. The states argue that the cuts, which also include $1 billion from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, harm essential services and violate federal law, as the grants were intended for long-term health infrastructure and pandemic preparedness. The lawsuit contends that the mass termination of these grants is both arbitrary and unlawful. States like Wisconsin, Illinois, and Washington highlight the severe impact on their public health capabilities, including loss of jobs and diminished capacity to respond to health emergencies like opioid crises and infectious disease outbreaks. The plaintiffs are seeking a temporary restraining order to halt the funding cuts while the case proceeds.