Governor files lawsuit against federal agencies over withheld aid
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has taken legal action against agencies under President Donald Trump, accusing them of unlawfully withholding approved federal aid from the state. Shapiro, a Democrat, filed the lawsuit in federal court in Philadelphia, alleging that the federal agencies’ actions are unconstitutional and in violation of court orders to release the funding. The lawsuit contends that the federal agencies have no authority to withhold congressionally appropriated funds due to a policy dispute and have failed to provide a valid reason for the suspension. Despite efforts by Shapiro’s administration and members of Congress to restore access to the funds, the federal agencies have continued to deny Pennsylvania its entitled funding. The lawsuit names the White House Office of Management and Budget, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the departments of Energy, Interior, and Transportation as defendants. The Trump administration’s freeze on federal grants and loans in January caused significant disruption, prompting a federal lawsuit from nearly two dozen Democratic states. A judge recently ordered the administration to unfreeze all federal grants and loans, a decision that the Trump administration unsuccessfully appealed. In Pennsylvania’s case, over $2.5 billion in grants and reimbursements earmarked for the state remain suspended without explanation, impacting various programs such as well plugging, energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas reduction initiatives. Shapiro’s lawsuit argues that the administration cannot impose new conditions on approved federal aid or cut off funding without lawful justification, citing violations of the U.S. Constitution’s spending clause.
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