Attorney General Anne Lopez stepped into the legal arena alongside a cohort of 23 states and the District of Columbia, filing a lawsuit against Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the abrupt termination of essential public health grants totalling nearly $12 billion. This legal action has been prompted by what the suing parties describe as an illegal and unexplained cessation of funding, which has already stirred disarray amongst state health agencies that depend on these funds for various urgent public health services, including disease management and emergency preparedness.
For Hawaiʻi, the stakes are significant, with more than $89 million hanging in the balance due to these grant cuts. As reported by THE Department of the Attorney General, the island's public health contracts for a range of services—from data infrastructure to substance abuse prevention—are now at risk. Having placed their reliance on federally obligated funds, these abrupt cancellations jeopardize staff positions and improvements across state labs, casting uncertainty over community support and disease-prevention efforts.
Special Assistant to the Attorney General Dave Day and Solicitor General Kalikoʻonālani Fernandes represent Hawaiʻi's interests in this litigation. Critical public health measures, as "Governor Josh Green warned" in a statement that the Department of the Attorney General released, face threats as a result of HHS's action. This lawsuit, with its widespread support, echoes the concern that the unanticipated grant terminations not only upset the infrastructural stability but also leave the vulnerable and underserved communities in a lurch, as noted by Attorney General Lopez.
Filed in the U.S. District Court in Rhode Island, the lawsuit challenges the federal government's authority to end these grants, leveraging the Administrative Procedure Act. The attorneys general allege that the terminations violate federal law because, as of yet, none of the funds were explicitly tied to the pandemic's termination, despite HHS agencies abruptly deeming the pandemic's end as justification for terminations "for cause" on March 24.
The coalition, with Attorney General Lopez at the helm, seeks a temporary restraining order against the HHS and Secretary Kennedy's recent actions, accusing them of unlawful termination of agreements backed by Congress and essential for public health preparedness and response. As the lawsuit unfolds, the attorneys general will continue to argue for the reinstatement of these critical funds, aiming to protect the constituents they serve from the adverse outcomes stemming from these sudden federal cuts.
