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Select Federal Court Decisions, Links, and Memos

WA Attorney General News & Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs)

WA Office of the Attorney General news releases

• 5/6/25: Preliminary Injunction restraining the Defendant federal agencies from implementing the President’s Executive Order 14238, “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy” (“Reduction EO”), as it applies to these federal agencies, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
• 4/16/2025: TRO preventing Department of Energy from giving effect to the DOE Rate Cap Policy in any form; from modifying negotiated indirect cost rates except as permitted by statute/regulation;  and from terminating any grants pursuant to the Rate Cap Policy or based on a grantee’s refusal to accept an indirect cost rate less than their negotiated rate.
• 4/15/2025: Preliminary Injunction: Agencies administering funding under the Inflation Reduction Act or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA and IRA) appropriations are enjoined from freezing, halting, or pausing processing and payment under awarded IIJA and IRA funding.
• 4/05/2025: TRO blocking U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from terminating $11 billion in in public health funding used for areas related to tracking infectious diseases, disease management, emergency preparedness, and mental health and substance abuse services.
• 2/03/2025 Preliminary Injunction of OMB’s freeze on federal financial assistance
• 2/21/2025 Preliminary injunction blocking EO targeting diversity, equity and inclusion
  • 3/14/2025: Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals – A stay of earlier preliminary injunction
• TRO partially blocking cutting funding for foreign assistance programs administered by USAID and the U.S. Department of State
  • 2/26/2025: Supreme Court imposed a stay on the freeze on foreign aid
  • 3/5/2025: Supreme Court vacates stay; orders lower court to clarify what obligation the Government must fulfill (e.g. pay frozen disbursements).
• TRO prohibiting freeze of federal assistance funding (Rhode Island)
  • 3/6/2025: US District Court for the District of Rhode Island issues preliminary injunction; government enjoined from implementing or giving effect to OMB Memo M-25-13 or otherwise impeding disbursement of appropriated federal funds
• TRO prohibiting freeze of federal assistance funding (DC)
  • 2/25/2025: US District Court for the District of Columbia issues preliminary injunction; government enjoined from implementing or giving effect to OMB Memo M-25-13 with respect to disbursement of federal funds
• TRO blocking proposed NIH indirect cost cap
  • 2/21/2025: Hearing result: Judge Kelley extends block on proposed NIH indirect cost cap; permanent ruling under consideration
  • 3/05/2025: Court issues preliminary injunction blocking proposed NIH indirect cost cap
• TRO halting EO that ends federal funding to medical institutions providing gender affirming care
  • 2/28/2025: Defendant fully enjoined from enforcing or implementing certain sections of Executive Order on gender affirming care within the Plaintiff States (includes Washington)
  • 3/06/2025: Notice of Court Order to Agencies in light of preliminary injunction
  • 3/17/2025:  District Court denies Plaintiff’s Motion for Contempt and grant expedited discovery; Court orders Defendants to correct their too narrow interpretation of the original preliminary injunction.

CDC

• • 2/11/2025: Update – Complying with TRO – rescind communications on 1/29 & 1/31
  • 1/31/2025: Cease All Activities Promoting Gender Ideology
  • 1/29/2025: Cease DEI Activities on all CDC funded awards- Domestic

DoD

• 1/28/2025 – Department of Defense Statement Clarifying Defense Contracting

DOE

• 1/31/2025 – DOE’s Suspension of DEI, CBP or PIER Plan, and Justice 40 Requirements in Financial Assistance Agreements

HHS

• 3/03/2025: DHHS rescinds public participation in rulemaking for matter(s) relating to agency management or personnel or to public property, loans, grants, benefits, or contracts
• 2/02/2025 – HHS – Notice of Temporary Restraining Order on Funding Pause

HRSA

• 1/31/2025 – HRSA Grant funds may not be used for activities that do not align with Executive Orders E.O.s

NASA

• Global Contractor & Grantee Community Memos webpage
  • • 1/23/2025: Initial Guidance Regarding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility (DEIA) Executive Orders
    • 1/29/2025: Initial Guidance Regarding President Trump’s Executive Order Defending Women
    • 1/29/2025:  NASA Global Contractor and Grantee Community Memo regarding Gender Ideology Extremism
    • 2/06/2025: NASA Global Contractor and Grantee Community Memo regarding Gender Ideology Extremism

NIH

• 5/07/2025 Implementation Update: Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research NOT-OD-25-112
• 5/07/2025 Updated NIH Processes for No-Cost Extensions NOT-OD-25-110
• 5/07/2025 Updated NIH Policy on Foreign Subawards NOT-OD-25-104
• 3/06/2025: NIH centralizes peer review
• 2/07/2025 NOT-OD-25-068: Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates
• 2/02/2025 – HHS – Notice of Temporary Restraining Order on Funding Pause

Review all: Notices of NIH Policy Changes

NSF

• 5/05/2025 Policy Notice: Implementation of Standard 15% Indirect Cost Rate
• NSF Implementation of Recent Executive Orders webpage