Overview

• A coalition of attorneys general from 23 states, led by New York's Letitia James, filed a federal lawsuit to halt $11 billion in public health funding cuts by the Trump administration.
• The lawsuit argues the cuts are unconstitutional, undermining Congress's authority over federal spending and jeopardizing critical health services.
• The funding cuts, justified by the administration as unnecessary post-pandemic, include grants for infectious disease monitoring, mental health, addiction treatment, and maternal health programs.
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has already begun layoffs, with up to 10,000 job losses expected and the cancellation of dozens of public health research grants.
• States like New York, which stand to lose hundreds of millions in funding, warn the cuts will leave them vulnerable to future pandemics and worsen ongoing health crises.