TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Apr 25, 2025

The City of Nashville has sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over recent public health funding cuts, which the city argues are unconstitutional. According to The Tennessean, the lawsuit alleges the cuts were illegal and lacked congressional approval because the funds previously were reviewed and approved by Congress. Nashville joined three other local governments in filing the suit in federal court in Washington, D.C. In March, HHS cut $11 billion in public health funding as part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) review effort. The Trump administration characterized the funds as COVID-era relief, but Nashville’s suit contends that Congress repeatedly reviewed and renewed some of the grants well after the peak of the pandemic.