Kansas Joins 23-State Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration Federal Funding Cuts

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has joined a coalition of 23 states and Washington, D.C., in suing the Trump administration over its use of a federal regulation to abruptly terminate billions of dollars in federal funding for critical state programs. The lawsuit challenges the administration's invocation of a provision allowing agencies to end grants if they "no longer effectuate agency priorities," which has led to cuts in funding for agriculture, public health, education, disaster response, and food security. Governor Kelly criticized the decision as a "whim" that undermines Congressional authority, noting that these cuts have impacted programs supporting Kansas farmers, natural disaster mitigation, childhood education, and local food distribution. The states argue the administration's actions were taken without notice or explanation and represent a misuse of the regulation, as prior administrations did not terminate grants based on shifting priorities after awards were made. The lawsuit seeks to prevent federal agencies from retroactively canceling grants and to restore funding to programs vital to state residents. This legal action also targets multiple federal agencies including the Office of Management and Budget, Agriculture, FEMA, and others involved in the funding cuts.