Federal Assistance Funding is Paused
Yesterday, January 27, 2025, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a memo ordering all agency heads to pause all federal financial assistance programs and review them to ensure they are consistent with all the President’s policies, including policies that ban diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, anti-transgender policies, or other executive actions.
This memo was an overstep of the Executive Branch — they should not be allowed to halt funding that was already allocated by Congress.
This is an evolving situation and we will share more information as we get it. This is a summary of what we know so far:
- 1/27/25 - The OMB memo was released stating all federal financial assistance programs will be paused. However, this freeze has already been implemented across many programs.
- By 2/10/25 - Agencies are to report on the programs, projects, and activities that may be implicated. OMB will then review the list of programs and provide guidance to the agency on how to proceed.
More information:
- Statement from the Democratic members of Senate Appropriations Committee
- Statement from the Democratic members of House Appropriations Committee
- Trump White House orders freeze on federal grants, loans | Roll Call Article (1/27 at 9:45pm ET)
- Trump administration orders sweeping freeze of federal aid | Politico Article (1/27 at 9:30pm)
Your voice is critical — tell Congress now how even a short-term disruption in your federal funding would impact your community. Congress must take a stand and speak out today against this overstep by the Trump Administration.
