Attorney General Dan Rayfield and 22 attorneys general filed a motion today asking for further enforcement of a temporary restraining order involving a federal funding freeze ordered by President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget.  The multi-state coalition is asking that the court make the relief more permanent, with a preliminary injunction. Without further relief, the administration is certain to resume the freeze – cutting access to critical federal funds for basic programs involving food relief, healthcare, and public safety.

“Without access to this money, Oregonians and people in all states will be greatly harmed,” said Rayfield. “We’ve seen that we cannot trust this administration to act in the best interest of our citizens, as they continue to weaponize their federal agencies.”

The coalition also seeks to further enforce the court’s initial temporary restraining order, explaining that the federal government has failed to unfreeze critical infrastructure funds. This includes funds from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

“This funding not only bolsters and modernizes critical infrastructure, but it also creates good paying jobs while simultaneously reducing harmful pollution,” Rayfield said.

As the judge stated when granting the temporary restraining order against the funding freeze two weeks ago, neither the Constitution nor federal spending statutes allow the president the authority to take such action.

Joining Attorney General Rayfield in filing the motions are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.