WA joins lawsuit against RFK Jr., Trump administration for dismantling HHS
SEATTLE - Washington has joined a multi-state lawsuit against U.S. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trump administration for their work to dismantle the Department of Health and Human Services.
State Attorney General Nick Brown announced Monday that he is joining 18 attorneys general in a lawsuit against RFK Jr., HHS and the Trump administration. HHS is a department of the federal government which oversees the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food & Drug Administration, the Office of the Surgeon General and several other agencies.
Washington previously joined a multi-state lawsuit to block the Trump administration's executive order slashing state health funding, and a federal judge filed an injunction to restore funds.
Washington sues Trump administration
Big picture view:
Since taking office, and especially since RFK Jr.'s nomination for health secretary, the Trump administration has worked to consolidate the department into the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA).
Between Trump's executive orders and Elon Musk's work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the HHS has slashed approximately 20% of its workforce.
Kennedy and the Trump administration fired thousands of federal health workers and ended vital programs, says the Attorney General's Office. These include CDC infectious diseases tracking, staffing for substance abuse and mental health services, doctors for 9/11 survivors, maternal health services and other programs.
"These actions are both plainly illegal and a moral failing. More Americans will suffer from illness, injury, and death without these commonsense programs," said Brown. "A robust public health system that serves communities with the most barriers to appropriate medical care is vital."
The lawsuit urges the court to block the wave of firings, block the reorganization of HHS and restore federal health services.
The Source: Information in this story comes from the Washington State Attorney General's Office, with previous coverage from FOX 13 Seattle.
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