Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin Commends Ruling Preventing Trump Administration from Cutting Essential Public Health Funding

TRENTON – New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin today commended a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granting a temporary restraining order that prevents the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., from abruptly and illegally terminating $11 billion in critical public health grants to the states, including more than $350 million in federal funding for New Jersey.

“We are thrilled with today’s ruling, which puts a halt to the Trump Administration’s cruel attempt to claw back hundreds of millions of dollars in public health funding from New Jersey,” said Attorney General Platkin. “With the court’s decision today, New Jersey can continue to provide critical services for those with mental health concerns, people recovering from substance abuse issues, and patients at community health centers. We will continue our office’s work to prevent these devastating cuts from ever taking effect.”

On Tuesday, April 1, Attorney General Platkin joined a coalition of 23 states and the District of Columbia in filing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration and requested a temporary restraining order.

New Jersey joined the Attorneys General of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota New Mexico, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin and the Governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania in this litigation.

Additional information about the lawsuit is available here.

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