(WNY News Now) A multi-state group led by New York Attorney General Letitia James is getting ready to sue the Trump Administration for unlawfully and unconstitutionally suspending federal funds.
Attorney Generals Rob Bonta of California, Kwame Raoul of Illinois, Andrea Campbell of Massachusetts, Matt Platkin of New Jersey, and Peter Neronha of Rhode Island joined New York Attorney General Letitia James in a virtual press conference this afternoon to announce plans to file a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for unlawfully and unconstitutionally freezing most federal funding.
The President’s Office of Management and Budget released a memo yesterday, January 27, 2025, directing federal agencies to cease disbursing all government funding. The letter will go into effect at 5:00 p.m. today, January 28, 2025.
Attorney General James claims that federal payments, such as Medicaid reimbursement systems in at least 20 states, child support enforcement in one state, child development block grants in Maryland, and Head Start funding in Michigan, are already being withheld.
In order to temporarily prevent the directed freezing of funds, the coalition of attorneys general is attempting to get a court order. This policy is unquestionably harmful, reckless, unlawful, and unconstitutional. James stated. This proposal would negatively impact the lives of millions of Americans in New York and around the country, including families who depend on Head Start for childcare, children nationally who depend on SNAP for their next meal, and elderly who depend on state programs to receive the care they require.
Following the Impoundment Control Act’s enactment, a president must request monies from Congress that they do not want to be distributed in order to utilize impoundment, which is the process of refusing to spend funds that Congress has appropriated. To stop the cash from being disbursed, Congress must approve a request within 45 days of it being received. The monies will be released if Congress does not authorize the request within that period.