In response to the activities of the Trump administration in order to freeze federal funds, Governor Josh Shapiro He undertook legal proceedings to restore Pennsylvania access to the funds.
The governor, together with several executive agencies in Pennsylvania, filed a lawsuit at the American District Court for the eastern district of Pennsylvania, which strives for a relief from “grossly unlawful federal activities.”
“The federal government concluded a contract with the Pennsylvania community, promising to provide billions of dollars in financing approved by the Congress, which we have committed to serious needs-as such as public health protection, reducing energy costs, ensuring safe, clean drinking water, and creating jobs in rural communities Shapiro said.
“With this freezing of financing, Trump’s administration breaks this contract – and my task is the Governor of Pennsylvania’s interests. Over the past two weeks, together with my team, we have been involved in our Congress delegation to restore access to all federal financing of Pennsylvania, which were promised in accordance with the law – but despite these efforts, state agencies remain able to draw these critical dollars. While many federal judges ordered Trump’s administration to freeze this financing again, access was not restored, leaving my administration without choosing, as soon as legal action to protect the interests of the community and its inhabitants. “
The press release noted that even after many court orders, release of federal funds and the involvement of the governor of Shapiro with the federal representatives of Pennsylvania – state agencies are still unable to access $ 1.2 billion in federal financing, with an additional 900 million dollars requiring indefinite review Federal agencies of federal agencies before it can be pulled out.
The claim contains examples of how federal financing affects the community of nations, including:
- One current federal subsidy program is provided by the Department of Environmental Protection in Pennsylvania (PADEP) over $ 3 billion in 15 years to satisfy many billion dollars to repair abandoned mine lands (which means previous places of ore and mineral extraction) throughout Pennsylvania and waterways, which Mine sites were affected by the former water roads.
- Padep also currently has about 76 million dollars of federal funds to plug abandoned oil and gas wells, which are both a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as possible sources of gas migration, which can cause an explosion. Financing will allow the community of nations to connect over 500 abandoned wells.
- Two subsequent subsidy programs allocate around $ 126 million to Pennsylvania to programs that will allow 28,000 low -income households to perform work on their homes, which will reduce media bills.
From January 27, 2025, when the directive comes from the White House Management Office and the Budget (OMB), Pennsylvania is limited to obtaining access to finance for grant programs that obliged over $ 3.1 billion to Keystone for the fiscal years 2022 to 2026 Commonwealth and its agencies also have over 2 USD, remained as part of subsidies programs that are now suspended or for which the reimbursement of authorized expenses was now required to review the Federal Agency.
“Federal investments, to lend a hand families reduce media bills by improving energy efficiency, start connecting thousands of abandoned gas wells leaking risky chemicals into the air and water, make improvements to provide unthreatening and tidy drinking water and closing risky mine embankments and cleaning the abandoned mine lands , they were all stopped – he said Katie Blume Protection voters of PA and chairman of the Pure Power Coalition.
She thanked the governor for his commitment and noticed that “elected representatives of Pennsylvania in Congress must also join the fight, demanding that Trump administration not pull the plug -in to work in Pennsylvania, securing Pennsylvania employees and energy savings for Pennsylvania families.”
Senate minority leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) also supports Shapiro in her activities.
“I proudly support the governor of Shapiro in his struggle to demand our constitutional from the superior federal director,” said Costa. “My offices were flooded with combinations from voters who are concerned, confused and are afraid that the programs that maintain their heat and their homes will be taken at a time. I am looking forward to his efforts to ensure funds, which is rightly, constitutionally, to Pennsylvania. “
Shapiro notes that the US Constitution clearly states that federal agencies do not have the right to suspend the access of countries to the money that the Congress has appropriated or imposed up-to-date conditions for money already appropriated and obliged.
Democratic leadership in Pennsylvania also presented a statement on the support of the governor’s movement.
“Federal financing is of fundamental importance to ensure that the resources needed to continue critical work. The fact that we still do not have access to $ 2.1 billion in funds appropriated by Congress is unconstitutional, unacceptable and immoral.
“We strongly support the operation of the Governor Shapiro in order to protect Pennsylvania, support the community and reduce costs by questioning this financing. Blocking these critical funds is an unacceptable attack on Pennsylvania’s families, community and economic stability. These funds have been legally approved by Congress and are of key importance for supporting working families, rural communities and public security initiatives throughout the community. “
