Harris County wins lawsuit against HHS, restores millions in public health funds

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HOUSTON - A district court judge has sided with Harris County in a lawsuit over public health funds that were illegally eliminated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year.

With the victory, Harris County has restored millions in public funding for health services that had been terminated by the federal department. 

Harris County Wins HHS Lawsuit

According to the release from Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee, the district court agreed that HHS overstepped its authority by cutting funding which Congress had awfully appropriated, and which local governments across the country had already begun to implement. 

Had the funding not been restored, the release says Harris County would have lost funding for disease surveillance, immunization outreach and vital community health worker programs that connect thousands of residents each year to life-saving care and benefits. 

Specific programs set to be affected by the cuts were Harris County Public Health's wastewater surveillance efforts and the HCPH Connect program, which assists low-income residents in accessing health care, food assistance and other services. 

The cuts also reportedly jeopardized mobile vaccination clinics and the county's capacity to track more than 80 infectious diseases.

What they're saying:

"This ruling is a win for Harris County residents and public health departments across the country," said Menefee. "The federal government cannot simply ignore Congress and pull the plug on essential services that communities rely on. Today's decision ensures we can keep doing the work that protects our residents — from tracking disease outbreaks to providing vaccinations and supporting vulnerable families."

"Local governments can't plan or protect residents when federal agencies pull the rug out from under them without legal authority," Menefee said. "This decision restores stability for our public health system and reaffirms that Congress, not unelected bureaucrats, decides how public dollars are spent."