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AGs file suit for misuse of OMB clause

 Attorneys General from 22 states are challenging the Trump administration for terminating billions of dollars of federal funding appropriated by Congress.

The coalition says using the Office of Management and Budget’s clause to eliminate awards that “no longer effectuate the program goals or agency priorities” is illegal and discriminatory.

Plaintiffs say they are not aware of any grant that was terminated by USDA, and many other agencies and subagencies, under the clause before this year.

States point to the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, the Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement, and avian influenza risk reduction research as some of the work that has been eliminated through the clause.

The suit also covers conservation, nutrition, and wildfire prevention programs administered through states.

Attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and the state of Pennsylvania are filing the suit.