Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says programs must be ‘vigorously protected’
“Essential programs and grants in the state of Michigan continue to face unlawful disruptions, despite the fact that we were able to obtain a temporary restraining order to prevent the Trump White House’s unprecedented, reckless, and unlawful attack on vital government services that millions of Michiganders depend on,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel stated on Friday. Together with my colleagues, I will continue to stand up for these programs against the harmful actions of the Trump Administration.
WASHINGTON—A federal judge was requested by Democratic attorneys general from around the nation on Friday to enforce a temporary restraining order he issued late last month, claiming the Trump administration is not following the court’s decision.
The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee’s top Democrat also questioned the continued suspension of certain loans and grants.
In an emergency request, the attorneys general stated that since the Order’s entry, a constantly shifting array of federal financial aid has been suspended, removed, in transit, being reviewed, and more.
In separate proceedings before this Court, they requested that Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the U.S. District Court in Rhode Island, who issued the temporary restraining order on January 31, order the Trump administration to immediately restore funds and cease the federal funding pause until the preliminary injunction motion is heard and decided. This process is moving quickly.
The Department of Justice has until Sunday to reply, according to McConnell.
In their 21-page emergency request, which was filed with McConnell on Friday, the attorneys general stated that the defendants have not resumed the disbursement of federal cash in a number of ways, despite the court’s direction.
They said that the Trump administration has not yet started allocating funds that Congress authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also referred to as the bipartisan infrastructure package, or the Inflation Reduction Act.
They claimed that all federal advisory committee meetings had been canceled, including the sudden cancellation of an advisory committee review meeting with Brown University’s School of Public Health for a $71 million award on dementia care research.
They noted that on February 5, Head Start organizations in Vermont and Michigan were unable to obtain funding.
According to the brief, on February 5 and 6, the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended stop work orders to a University of Washington program conducting global HIV prevention efforts.
Different interpretations of Judge McConnell’s temporary restraining order contributed to the attorneys general’s failure to resolve the funding delay with the Trump administration.
In late January, the Office of Management and Budget issued a two-page letter stating that a funding freeze on grant and loan programs worth trillions of dollars would start at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28.
As federally funded organizations sought to ascertain whether they would be impacted, the memo caused confusion across the nation. Even though Congress is the part of government that oversees spending, members were unclear about which programs would be suspended and which would not.
Judge Loren L. Ali Khan of the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia ordered a temporary administrative stay just prior to the freeze’s implementation, prohibiting the Trump administration from initiating the funding block.
The American Public Health Association, Main Street Alliance, Sage, and the National Council of Nonprofits filed that separate lawsuit.
The memo was later withdrawn by OMB, but White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on social media that this did not mean that the government funding freeze was being lifted.
According to Leavitt, it is only a revocation of the OMB directive. Why? to clear up any misunderstanding the court’s order may have caused.
She noted that the President’s Executive Orders regarding federal funds are still in full force and effect and would be strictly enforced.
Following the rescinding of the OMB memo, the Department of Justice tried to dismiss both cases, but both judges refused.
Later, in the lawsuit brought by the Democratic attorneys general of 22 states and the District of Columbia, McConnell issued a temporary restraining order. Ali Khan then issued a different interim restraining order.
The ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, U.S. Senator Patty Murray of Washington state, stated on Friday that whole local economies are in jeopardy.
Murray stated in a statement that the ambiguity around the future of these investments alone is endangering entire local economies, affecting American firms that are left wondering if the contracts they have signed mean anything, and placing jobs on the chopping block. Trump’s actions have the potential to close important infrastructure projects in almost every community, eliminate well-paying employment, cut off financing for farmers, stifle innovation, create enormous budget gaps in local communities, and much more.
Once more, Elon Musk and Donald Trump may take their case to Congress and get the votes they need to eliminate funding that is supporting well-paying jobs across the United States. This isn’t how you unilaterally take away your tax money by violating the constitution.
Murray published a five-page report outlining some of the areas where grant and loan programs are still impacted by the Trump administration’s funding suspension.
Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.