Already on a temporary stay until at least Monday after a federal judge’s action in Washington DC, a different federal judge in Rhode Island has issued a separate restraining order for President Trump’s idea of a federal funding freeze.
Judge John McConnell says the plan probably violates the US Constitution and federal law.
7 am Friday: SOS amongst many non-profits breathing sigh of relief after Trump administration rescinds plans for federal funding freeze
With the recent announcement that President Donald Trump has rescinded his previous plan to temporarily freeze all federal grants for a review, many local non-profits and agencies are breathing a big sigh of relief.
This includes SOS Inc. according to Director Mickey Edwards who spoke with KVOE News Wednesday just ahead of the plan’s rescinding. During that interview, Edwards underscored how significant a freeze of any kind for any duration could be on the agency noting SOS receives 87 percent of its annual budget from grants, 42 percent of which comes directly from the federal level.
Although the freeze is on ice for now, KVOE News did ask if Edwards had any concerns as to whether a possible freeze, now or in the future, could eventually lead to a shutdown of SOS services. Edwards confidently stated she did not foresee that happening thanks to a high level of support both from the Emporia community and advocates at the state and federal levels.
An exact reason for the discontinuation of the federal grant freeze has not been stated as of yet. However; all agencies that could have been affected by this action are being directed to their “agency General Counsel” with any questions or concerns.
If the freeze had gone forward, the White House says it could have affected up to $3 trillion in federal assistance programs based on funding from last year. The New York Times listed some 2,600 programs that could have been impacted, including:
*Federal Transit Formula Grants for operating city buses and trains.
*The National School Lunch Program
*The Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscapes, funding wildfire prevention programs
*The CHIPS Incentives Program, supporting semiconductor manufacturing projects
Special Education Grants to States for students with disabilities.
*The High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program, which helps law enforcement investigate and prevent drug crimes.
