The State of Hawaiʻi won a court order halting the dismantling of three federal agencies that provide hundreds of millions of dollars in services and funding support to public libraries, museums, workers and minority-owned businesses.
Those three agencies include:
• The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which supports museums and libraries nationwide through grantmaking, research and policy development;
• The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), which promotes the growth and inclusion of minority-owned businesses through federal financial assistance programs; and
• The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), which promotes peaceful resolution of labor disputes.
In issuing the preliminary injunction, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island found that the states had established a strong likelihood of success on their claims that the executive order violates the Administrative Procedure Act by overriding Congress’ power to decide how federal funds are spent and disregards the Constitution by attempting to dismantle agencies that Congress established and funded by law. After the administration’s executive order was issued in April, FMCS announced the termination of several of its core programs, making it harder for unionized workers to get help to secure their rights. The FMCS has a long track record in Hawaiʻi of helping to settle contentious and protracted labor disputes. Most notably, in September 2024, FMCS facilitated the mediation between Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women and Children and the Hawai‘i Nurses’ Association. Within days both parties came to an agreement on a new contract and the two-week long nurses’ lockout ended. As a result of the executive order, IMLS placed almost its entire staff on administrative leave and was ready to cut hundreds of grants for state libraries and museums. In 2024, IMLS invested $180 million in libraries nationwide under its Grants to States Program, including $1.5 million in Hawaiʻi’s library system. These federal funds support public access to the internet, online education resources and skill development of staff. In addition to administering federal funding to states, IMLS also provides data and grants that support projects that collect, digitize and make available important Native Hawaiian collections. “We appreciate court order,” said Stacey Aldrich, state librarian for the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System. “IMLS is a vital agency for ensuring that America can be great through strong libraries, which represent the best of who we are as communities and as a nation.” The state of Hawaiʻi is represented in this litigation by Special Assistant to the Attorney General Dave Day and Solicitor General Kalikoʻonālani Fernandes. “IMLS, MBDA, and FMCS provide critical services across the country,” said Day and Fernandes. “The order recognizes that the dismantling of these agencies is inconsistent with the ‘unshakable principles’ at the heart of our system of government.”
This lawsuit is led by Hawai‘i Attorney General Lopez, and the attorneys general of New York and Rhode Island. Joining the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
Original source can be found here.