A coalition of attorneys general from 19 states and Washington, D.C. is taking legal action against the Trump administration, challenging significant cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Washington, D.C., accuses the administration of implementing a massive restructuring that has dismantled crucial life-saving programs, leaving states to bear the financial burden of escalating health crises.
The attorneys general involved in the lawsuit hail from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. They argue that the restructuring, initiated by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in March, resulted in the elimination of more than 10,000 employees and the consolidation of 28 agencies into 15 under the HHS umbrella.
This restructuring is part of the administration’s initiative branded as “Make America Healthy Again.” It included the dismissal of an additional 10,000 employees, which, according to the lawsuit, constitutes a 25% reduction of the HHS workforce. The plaintiffs claim that these cuts have deprived HHS of essential resources needed to fulfill its functions effectively.
The administration justifies the layoffs as a measure to streamline public health agencies and reduce redundancies. However, the attorneys general contend that the cuts have severely hampered the government’s ability to manage pressing health issues. They cite limited laboratory testing for infectious diseases, insufficient tracking of cancer risks among firefighters, uncertain funding for early childhood programs, and the closure of initiatives aimed at monitoring cancer and maternal health.
The lawsuit points out that cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have compromised states’ responses to a significant measles outbreak. The plaintiffs argue that these outcomes were not accidental but rather the intended consequences of the “MAHA Directive.”
The attorneys general are seeking a court order to nullify the directive, asserting that the administration lacks the authority to unilaterally dismantle programs and funding established by Congress. They highlight the elimination of the team responsible for maintaining federal poverty guidelines and the significant impact on agencies like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and tobacco prevention programs.
This lawsuit is part of a broader legal challenge against the Trump administration’s reductions in public health funding. Last month, a coalition of 23 states filed another federal lawsuit in Rhode Island over the administration’s decision to slash $11 billion in federal funds for COVID-19 initiatives and various public health projects nationwide.
