The Trump administration is fighting back against a court order blocking the Department of Health and Human Services from slashing $11 billion in grants for fighting infectious disease measures and other state public health efforts.
Announced Tuesday in the lower court docket, the HHS’ appeal will head to the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. In April, twenty-three states and the District of Columbia sued the HHS for arbitrarily freezing grants intended for programs that ensure vaccine access, strengthen emergency preparedness, provide mental health and substance abuse services, and track infectious diseases.
The US District Court for the District of Rhode Island in May granted the states a preliminary injunction, temporarily halting the HHS’ refusal to provide funds.
The states’ battle with the HHS comes as the federal government faces mounting challenges over its decision to slash billions in federal health funding.
In a separate lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, four municipalities secured a preliminary injunction against the HHS for cutting off their infectious disease grant funding.
Likewise, a US District Court for the District of Massachusetts judge vacated Trump administration cuts to National Institutes of Health scientific research funding focusing on gender and diversity, equity and inclusion.
The case is Colorado v. Kennedy, 1st Cir., No. 25-01671, Notice of appeal 7/15/25.
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