Court blocks federal cuts to critical health funding in Harris County-led lawsuit

Press Release from Public Rights Project 

For Immediate Release: 

Media Contact: Jackie Jena, jackie@publicrightsproject.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal judge blocked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from cutting off funding for public health programs that support vaccinations, disease surveillance and critical health infrastructure. The court temporarily halted the Trump administration’s attempt to terminate these programs while the legal challenge proceeds.

The ruling comes in Harris County et al. v. Department of Health and Human Services, a lawsuit filed by Harris County, Public Rights Project and Democracy Forward on behalf of a coalition led by Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, three local governments and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO.

“This case is about stopping federal abuse of power that puts lives at risk,” said Jill Habig, founder and chief executive officer of Public Rights Project. “Communities rely on this funding to track disease, maintain vaccinations and staff essential health programs. This win ensures our local government partners can continue to count on these vital services.”

The grants at stake were appropriated by Congress to support long-term health infrastructure following the COVID-19 pandemic. But earlier this year, HHS ended the grant programs, despite no direction from Congress to do so. The programs at risk include disease monitoring and response systems, high-volume vaccination efforts and initiatives to modernize and retain public health staff.

In Harris County, Texas, outreach teams that serve more than 40,000 residents annually were facing layoffs. In Columbus, Ohio, staffing for infectious disease tracing had dropped to 25% capacity amid a measles outbreak in a neighboring county. AFSCME members across the U.S. were also facing job losses and disruption to their duties.

“This ruling is a win for Harris County residents,” said Harris County Attorney Menefee, who led the coalition of plaintiffs. “The federal government cannot simply ignore Congress and pull the plug on essential services that communities rely on. Today’s decision ensures we can keep doing the work that protects our residents — from tracking disease outbreaks to providing vaccinations and supporting vulnerable families.”

Local officials in other jurisdictions echoed Menefee’s concerns about federal abuse of power and the lasting consequences of rescinded grants.

“When the executive branch claims virtually unlimited powers, we all rely on the courts to uphold the Constitution. Nashville cannot easily replace the five individuals laid off when the cancellation of the grant was initially announced, but we are grateful to the partners that pushed for this injunction and skillfully articulated why no administration has the authority to rescind grants previously authorized by Congress,” said Metro Nashville’s Director of Law Wally Dietz.

On April 30, the coalition asked the court to stop the funding cuts as the case moves forward. Under the new ruling, HHS must reinstate access to some of the grants in question during the ongoing litigation. The court did not grant a nationwide injunction at this stage but left the door open to potentially extending relief later in the case to public health employees nationwide.

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About Public Rights Project
As a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, Public Rights Project helps local government officials fight for civil rights. We do this by building their capacity to protect and advance civil rights, convening and connecting them on issues of civil rights, and providing legal representation to governments to help them win in court on behalf of their residents. Since our founding, we’ve built a network of over 1,300 partners, including elected officials and 227 government offices across all 50 states, and helped recover over $46 million in relief for marginalized people. www.publicrightsproject.org

About Democracy Forward
Democracy Forward is a nonprofit legal organization that works to fight abuses of power and to ensure that government works for the people—not just the powerful. Democracy Forward partners with individuals, organizations, and government entities to bring legal action that defends democracy and advances justice. www.democracyforward.org