HARRISBURG, Pa. — In a significant legal move, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has initiated a lawsuit against federal agencies under former President Donald Trump, alleging they are illegally withholding billions in federal aid that has already received congressional approval.
Despite previous federal court decisions rejecting the Trump administration’s funding freeze, Governor Shapiro’s legal team contends that key federal agencies are still disregarding court mandates meant to restore access to these essential funds.
The lawsuit, filed in Philadelphia’s federal court, characterizes the actions of the federal agencies as “flagrantly lawless,” asserting that these agencies lack the authority to unilaterally halt the spending of congressionally appropriated funds due to policy disagreements.
Shapiro’s legal representatives argue that the agencies have failed to provide justifiable reasons for this suspension, making the case for the urgent need to restore the funding that supports various state programs.
The lawsuit outlines efforts made by Shapiro and his administration to regain access to the funds, highlighting that, despite two temporary restraining orders mandating federal agencies to restore the financial support, the funding remains inaccessible.
Federal agencies implicated in the lawsuit include the Office of Management and Budget, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the departments of Energy, Interior, and Transportation, none of which have commented publicly on the ongoing litigation.
The controversy traces back to a memo issued by the Trump administration in late January, which imposed a freeze on federal grants and loans, under the pretext of reviewing alignment with executive orders addressing topics such as climate change and diversity initiatives. This halt has led to widespread disruption, affecting crucial funding for early childhood education, pollution mitigation, and HIV research, among others.
A subsequent court ruling mandated the administration to promptly lift the freeze on federal grants and loans, with the judge concluding that the Trump administration had not fully adhered to earlier orders. However, the administration’s quick appeal to maintain the freeze was unsuccessful.
In Pennsylvania’s case, approximately $2.5 billion in grants or reimbursements is currently suspended or undergoing unspecified reviews that lack congressional endorsement. The lawsuit specifies that financial aid is being withheld from critical programs aimed at environmental restoration, energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas reduction initiatives.
Shapiro’s legal team emphasizes that the federal administration cannot impose new conditions on pre-approved federal aid and argues that any cessation of funding must be legally justified by specific statutes or agreements, claiming such actions violate the U.S. Constitution’s spending clause.
