MENA Newswire, WASHINGTON: A U.S. federal judge in Washington ordered the Department of Health and Human Services to restore nearly $12 million in children’s health funding to the American Academy of Pediatrics while a lawsuit challenging the cuts moves forward. The order, issued late Saturday, takes the form of a preliminary injunction and applies to seven federal grants that were terminated in December. The ruling requires the funding to continue during the litigation unless the order is later modified, stayed, or overturned.
The decision was issued by U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell, who found that maintaining the grants during the legal proceedings was warranted based on the record presented at this stage of the case. The injunction preserves existing funding arrangements and prevents the immediate suspension of programs supported by the grants while the court considers the underlying claims. The ruling does not determine the final outcome of the lawsuit.
The grants are administered through agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Resources and Services Administration. According to court filings, the funding supports a range of pediatric public health and care initiatives. These include programs focused on preventing sudden unexpected infant deaths, expanding access to pediatric care in rural communities, improving early screening and identification of developmental disabilities, and supporting teen mental health and substance use prevention efforts.
In her written order, Howell said the American Academy of Pediatrics had shown a sufficient likelihood of success on its constitutional claims to justify interim relief. The judge cited evidence related to the circumstances and timing of the grant terminations and said those factors supported continued judicial review. The court also concluded that allowing the funding to lapse during the case could cause harm that would be difficult to remedy later, particularly given the scope and reach of the affected programs.
Judge orders continued funding during legal proceedings
The judge further found that continuing the grants while the case proceeds would not impose undue hardship on the federal government and would serve the public interest by avoiding disruption to pediatric health services. The injunction directs HHS to maintain funding levels consistent with the grants as they existed prior to their termination. It does not require the agency to issue new grants or expand funding beyond the amounts previously awarded.
HHS has said the grants were ended because they no longer aligned with agency priorities. The department has declined to comment further on the ruling because the litigation is ongoing. In its court submissions, the government disputed the academy’s claims and argued that federal agencies have discretion to reassess and terminate grant funding based on policy and programmatic considerations.
Injunction remains effective pending further review
The academy said the seven grants were terminated on Dec. 16, 2025, and that it received notice that the funding would not continue. The organization filed its lawsuit on Dec. 24, seeking emergency relief to prevent interruptions to programs that depend on federal support. The academy has said the grants underpin national and regional initiatives carried out with state health departments, hospitals, universities, and community organizations.
The preliminary injunction ensures that those programs remain operational while the case advances through the federal court system. Further proceedings are expected to address the merits of the academy’s claims and the government’s defenses. Either side may seek review of the injunction by a higher court. For now, the order keeps the disputed funding in place as the legal challenge over the grant terminations continues.