A federal judge in Rhode Island blocked the Department of Health and Human Services from executing mass layoffs and restructuring. The judge stated there was no rational basis for the proposed changes that could have widespread destructive effects. A lawsuit was initiated by 19 Democratic attorneys general contesting HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s plans, which risked significant disruption to critical public health services and agency operations. The judge noted the lack of evidence from HHS supporting the continuation of services and the absence of Congressional authority for such actions.
"Critical public health services have been interrupted, databases taken offline, status of grants thrown into chaos, technical assistance services gone, and training and consultation services curtailed. These are not unsubstantiated fears," Judge Melissa DuBose wrote in her opinion granting the states' request for a preliminary injunction.
"HHS has failed to produce a shred of evidence that services to States and access to critical information would continue uninterrupted, that the harms are minimal or not irreparable, or that it is authorized to act absent Congressional action," she added.
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