A coalition of 19 states and the Columbia district sued The Trump administration on Monday in an attempt to block his cut -off from the Ministry of Health and Human Services, with the argument that the significant reduction of staff and cuts on the public health subsidy amounted to a “unconstitutional and illegal dismantling” of the agency.
The suit is on the heels of different similar cases that want Block the termination of billions of dollars in subsidies Granted by federal health authorities to support research into public health and health programs for the state.
But the scope of the lawsuit is broad and focuses on the larger agenda of public health recorded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary. Include his priorities Reorient the department around his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, the implementation of radical fired and Changing vaccine approval practicesA movement that has alerted and stunned many health experts.
The suit argues The cuts Have already established a series of congress programs, including Mental health and addiction services” Lead – The federal program that finances early youth education for poor students – Medicaid And Help for households with a low income When paying heating and cooling accounts, according to a concept of the suit rated by the New York Times.
The lawsuit follows the release of President Trump’s budget transfer last week, in which he was looking for Call the congress In his attempt to reduce the overall footprint and scope of the department by removing billions from his budget.
“This administration does not streamline the federal government; they sabotage it and all of us,” said Attorney General Letitia James of New York, who leads the challenge on Monday. “When you relieve the scientists who investigate infectious diseases, the doctors who take care of pregnant people are silent, and close the programs that help firefighters and miners breathe or help children, you don’t make America healthy – you endanger countless lives.”
The lawsuit describes a month -long effort to tear away the functions of the ministry, in the run -up to a Policy memo released on March 27Those “28 agencies collapsed in 15” and half of his regional offices throughout the country.
In addition to other changes, the policy memo emphasized Mr Kennedy’s goal to re -concentrate the nuclear functions of the department on “the termination of America’s epidemic of chronic disease by concentrating on safe, healthy food, clean water and the elimination of environmental oxins.”
“The earliest steps were to impose serious restrictions on all activities on the public-oriented agency, dismiss the independent inspector general, set up job openings and an recruitment freezer,” said the lawsuit of the States. “The following steps were not to remove the existing important leaders within the agencies sympathetic for the favorite views of the Kennedy secretary, and to dismiss tens of thousands of rank and file. This coordinated dismantling has stopped crucial work that plaintiff trusted.”
Just like some of the other challenges submitted, the lawsuit claims that the Trump administration has used the competence of the congress to set expenses and fund programs that it has authorized. The suit adds that the decision to Defend the staff of the entire programsAnd to move the department away from its traditional role and root in medical science, was abrupt, random and contrary to the law.
The case asks Judge Melissa R. Dubose, a federal judge in Rhode Island, to reject the full reorganization of the department in the memo of 27 March as unconstitutional and to stop the dismissals of tens of thousands of employees, which it will clearly harm the health programs.
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