New York’s entire Democratic Congressional delegation has signed a letter requesting a meeting with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., citing “unprecedented attacks” on the state’s health funding.
The effort, led by U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jerry Nadler, comes in response to the Trump Administration’s move to cut more than $11 billion in funding for state and local health departments. All 19 New York House Democrats signed the letter, including Queens-based Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Grace Meng, Gregory Meeks, and Ocasio-Cortez.
A federal judge temporarily blocked the funding cuts on April 3 after 23 states and the District of Colombia filed a lawsuit against the measure. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Mary S. McElroy in Rhode Island, prevents the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its agencies from implementing the cuts while the litigation is ongoing.
The coalition of states has argued that the funding helps address “urgent” public health needs, providing access to vaccines and mental health and addiction services, allowing states to track diseases, and improving health infrastructures.
The Trump Administration, on the other hand, said the easing of public health threats created by the COVID-19 pandemic justified the move to cut funding. The public health grants were initially allocated to states during the pandemic, but the Trump Administration informed states that the grants were “no longer necessary.”
New York House Democrats have requested a meeting with Kennedy over the proposed cuts, stating that New York State health departments will lose roughly $400 million in funding, while the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is set to miss out on about $100 million.
“As a result of these actions, the New York State Department of Health has laid off more than 200 public health workers, including 50 full-time staff and 168 public health fellows… Every single one of our constituents will be impacted by these actions,” Democrats said in the letter to Kennedy.
New York House Democrats also wrote that the proposed funding cuts would threaten at least 200 community-based organizations that provide mental health, maternal health or other life-saving services.
“Rescinding congressionally mandated funding is illegal and has already been blocked by a federal judge. However, the administration is attempting to move forward with these cuts, regardless of the risks it creates for the health and safety of all Americans,” New York Democrats wrote, requesting a meeting with Kennedy and his staff no later than April 22.
New York Attorney-General Letitia James, who represented New York in the 23-state coalition, also described the proposed cuts as illegal in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
James posted on the social media platform after Judge McElroy temporarily blocked the funding cuts on April 3.
“We just got a court order to temporarily block Trump’s illegal cuts to billions in vital state health funding,” James said in a post on X on April 3. “We’re going to continue our lawsuit and fight to ensure states can provide the medical services Americans need.”
Attorneys-General representing the 23 states filed a complaint on April 1, alleging that funding was “abruptly and arbitrarily terminated” by the Trump Administration on March 24.
