MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced a new lawsuit Wisconsin is joining against the Trump Administration and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for reckless, devastating cuts that will effectively dismantle the federal agency that is responsible for helping keep Wisconsinites and Americans healthy and safe.
The new filing slams the Trump Administration for HHS cuts and guts to investments and programs the U.S. Congress already approved, despite having no authority or power to do so. The moves represent yet another direct assault by President Donald J. Trump, Elon Musk, and the Trump Administration on constitutional checks and balances as they continue attempts to unilaterally cut, gut, and dismantle investments and programs approved by the U.S. Congress in order to help Republicans pay for tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires.
“President Trump, Elon Musk, and the Trump Administration are recklessly trying to cut and gut critical funding and programs that are designed to keep Wisconsin’s kids, families, and seniors healthy and safe, help us respond to health threats like lead and bird flu, support folks who are working to overcome addiction and mental health challenges, and so much more. These devastating decisions will jeopardize the health and safety of Wisconsinites and our communities, all so Republicans can help pay for tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. It’s breathtaking,” said Gov. Evers. “This is just another attempt by the Trump Administration to try and undermine the constitutional checks and balances in our system that help ensure no one has the sole power to make decisions like this unchecked. I will continue to use every tool and power I have to stop the Trump Administration’s disastrous actions that are hurting Wisconsinites and folks across our country every day while fighting against efforts by President Trump and Elon Musk to give themselves sole power over our government.”
Among the impacts of the Trump Administration’s reckless cuts that are part of broader efforts by Musk and “DOGE,” and which are the subject of the lawsuit Gov. Evers announced today, include:
- Canceling a critical test for the bird flu virus, suspending that program for the year, and terminating top veterinarians overseeing the bird flu response, undermining nationwide efforts to respond to the emerging health threat;
- Effectively eliminating the Head Start program with no “clear plan for how the administration intends on supporting Head Start,” forcing Head Start centers to temporarily close, experience delays in making payroll, and causing many Head Start programs to be at imminent risk of pausing or ceasing operations altogether;
- Terminating the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps offset high utility bills for millions of people and helps Wisconsinites and Americans heat and cool their homes to stay safe, especially during cold winter and hot summer months;
- Closing Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offices designed to help support Wisconsinites and Americans working to overcome substance misuse and mental and behavioral health challenges, including the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline program; and
- Laying off and terminating approximately a quarter—about 20,000 HHS employees—whose responsibilities included but were not limited to vaccine researchers, grant administration, responding to lead exposure incidents, answering public information requests to ensure government accountability and transparency, and specialists who help provide care and assistance to senior and aging and older adults, among others.
A copy of the lawsuit filing is available here.
