As a measles outbreak spreads across the country, 23 states are embroiled in a legal battle over $12 billion in federal dollars that have been used for vaccine clinics and other public health measures.
The states filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after it clawed back the money last week, arguing the funding, originally spent by Congress to help departments respond to COVID-19, is now unnecessary and wasteful.
The move plunged public health in the U.S. into chaos. While federal judge Mary McElroy said Thursday evening she would temporarily block those cuts, stating that it could cause irreparable harm, many states already began layoffs and canceled vaccine clinics aimed at improving vaccination rates in their communities.
