Overview

• Attorneys general from 20 states and Washington, D.C., filed a federal lawsuit to block the restructuring of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
• The lawsuit claims the Trump administration unlawfully eliminated 10,000 HHS jobs, collapsed 28 agencies into 15, and closed half of its regional offices.
• States argue the cuts have crippled critical public health programs, including laboratories monitoring infectious diseases and mental health services.
• The plaintiffs assert that the administration exceeded its authority by bypassing Congress and violating statutory mandates governing federal health programs.
• HHS defends the restructuring as a move to increase efficiency and focus on chronic disease prevention through the newly created Administration for a Healthy America.