California Attorney General Rob Bonta has announced a lawsuit against the Trump Administration's U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, addresses the alleged unlawful termination of $11 billion in public health funding.
This lawsuit, co-led by a coalition of 23 states and the District of Columbia, argues that HHS abruptly terminated federal funding for essential public health grants without prior notice or warning. Among the services impacted are disease tracking, immunization access, and public health infrastructure modernization efforts. The funds had been appropriated by Congress to improve U.S. preparedness for future public health threats.
Attorney General Bonta stated, “Over and over, I’ve made clear that my office will only take legal action against the Trump Administration when it breaks the law. Unfortunately, but predictably, that has happened once again.” He emphasized that the funding was explicitly authorized by Congress to maintain public health and preparedness. Bonta, alongside other attorneys general, is seeking a temporary restraining order to restore the funding due to potential harm to public health systems in their states.
The Trump Administration justifies the termination by stating that the COVID-19 pandemic is over and the related funding is no longer needed. However, the lawsuit contends that such terminations violate the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), as they were done without lawful basis or due process, such as providing notice or an opportunity for a hearing.
The lawsuit further claims that the terminations are arbitrary and capricious, failing to consider ongoing needs and the impact of their decisions, with no individual assessments or analysis undertaken. This withdrawal of funds has already led to confusion and threatens to cause significant harm to public health programs.
California faces the loss of over $972 million affecting various programs, including vaccinations and emergency health support. Similarly, other states involved in the lawsuit could see critical health programs jeopardized without these funds.
The California Attorney General is co-leading this legal effort with colleagues from Colorado, Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Washington, with additional support from multiple states and governors across the nation.
A copy of the legal complaint is available for public access.