The U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted a temporary restraining order Thursday, restoring $11 billion in public health funding to state and local agencies across the nation, including Washington state. The order follows a lawsuit filed by a group of 23 states, among them Washington, and the District of Columbia against the Trump Administration’s U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The lawsuit contests the termination of these funds, deemed essential for public health initiatives.
“This administration’s attacks on public health are not over, but today’s order should give Washingtonians confidence that programs that prevent the spread of infectious diseases, support mental health and get people out of substance abuse will continue to be funded for now,” said Attorney General Nick Brown.
The order addresses abrupt funding termination notices sent by the HHS on March 24 to agencies nationwide. These notices threatened to cut federal support for programs addressing infectious diseases, ensuring immunization access, and modernizing public health infrastructure. The funding, allocated by Congress, aims to bolster the country's preparedness against future health threats.
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The Washington Attorney General's Office, the state's largest law firm, provides legal services to Washington’s state agencies, boards, and commissions. It also enforces laws on consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection, and prosecutes specific cases of elder abuse and Medicaid fraud among others. For more details, visit www.atg.wa.gov.