Vermont and 22 Other States Sue to Protect Federal Funding for Health, Education, Law Enforcement, Disaster Relief, and other Essential State Programs from Presidential Overreach
Attorney General Charity Clark today announced that Vermont and 22 other states have challenged President Donald Trump’s Office of Management & Budget’s order freezing federal grants and loans. The coalition argues that this order violates the U.S. Constitution and federal law by creating new conditions on funding that has already been awarded. The President has overstepped his authority by overriding policy choices made by Congress and has violated his obligation to execute the laws passed by Congress by refusing to spend the money Congress has appropriated. The coalition also argues that the order violates the U.S. Constitution. The coalition has asked that the Court immediately stop this unconstitutional and illegal order.
“My office has heard from Vermonters who are scared that essential services they rely on – and which our federal tax dollars pay for — will be cut off, and that the organizations that serve the most vulnerable in our communities will be hamstrung or shuttered,” said Attorney General Clark. “I am fighting for them in filing this lawsuit, and I’m fighting for our Constitution.”
The coalition’s lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island and seeks to invalidate the memo’s order and to enjoin any actions taken to implement it. The coalition requests immediate relief to prevent the President’s order from taking effect through a preliminary injunction.
The order harms the State of Vermont, local communities, and countless families. The federal funding that has been frozen supports programs such as: WIC, a nutrition program for pregnant parents and infants; Head Start, providing preschool and support services for low-income children and their families; LIHEAP, providing home energy assistance for households that struggle to stay warm through the winters; Medicare enrollment assistance program; school meals for low-income students; programs supporting homeless veterans reintegrating into our communities; programs that help victims of domestic violence seek support making safety plans and exit unsafe situations; and programs supporting refugees that have already arrived in our communities, by providing clothing, household goods, and rent assistance, as well as English classes and job placement. These programs employ thousands of Vermonters, serve the most vulnerable members of our communities, and they are crucial in keeping Vermont affordable for working people and young families.
Joining Vermont in today’s filing are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
A copy of the lawsuit can be found here.
CONTACT: Amelia Vath, Outreach and Communications Coordinator, 802-828-3171