A federal court has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s effort to cut millions in public health funding from four Democratic-led cities located in Republican-controlled states.
This is the second federal ruling to restore public health funds to several states amid ongoing legal battles.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington, D.C., issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday in response to a lawsuit filed by Harris County, Texas (home to Houston), and the cities of Columbus, Ohio; Nashville, Tennessee; and Kansas City, Missouri. The ruling requires the federal government to reinstate funding to these municipalities until the case is fully resolved.
“The federal government cannot simply ignore Congress and pull the plug on essential services that communities rely on,” said Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee. “Today’s decision ensures we can keep doing the work that protects our residents — from tracking disease outbreaks to providing vaccinations and supporting vulnerable families.”
The lawsuit, filed in late April, alleges that the Trump administration unlawfully withheld $11 billion in public health funds that Congress had already approved for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The plaintiffs also argue that these actions violate Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulations.
The local governments warned that these cuts would severely impact public health efforts, especially during ongoing threats from infectious diseases like measles, bird flu, and mpox. They said the reductions would lead to thousands of layoffs among state and local public health workers.
Alongside the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union, the plaintiffs sought to reinstate funding nationwide. However, Judge Cooper limited his injunction to the four municipalities. During a May 21 hearing, he expressed doubt about applying the ruling more broadly.
The disputed funding was originally granted during the COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen public health infrastructure, Menefee said in an April statement.
According to Judge Cooper’s ruling, the four local governments were owed approximately $32.7 million in future grant payments.
Federal lawyers argued that the grants were legally cut because, “Now that the pandemic is over, the grants and cooperative agreements are no longer necessary as their limited purpose has run out.” This same defense was used in a related case involving 23 states and the District of Columbia.
Menefee said the cuts forced Harris County to reduce programs for wastewater disease surveillance, community health workers, clinics, and vaccination call centers. Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein reported that the city had to lay off half of its infectious disease staff.
Nashville had used some funds to create a “strike team” addressing health service gaps that prevented children from enrolling in school after the pandemic, according to the lawsuit.
Kansas City utilized its grant to develop local testing for COVID-19, influenza, and measles. After four years of preparation, the city was about to purchase lab equipment when the grant was canceled.
Representatives from HHS, the CDC, and the involved cities did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
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