UPDATE: The Trump administration rescinded the order Wednesday.
Reaction in New Hampshire was swift Tuesday to President Trump’s decision to suddenly pause federal grants and loans by 5 p.m. today, although a federal judge has stepped in to temporarily block the order promising a full decision by Monday.
The New York Times reported the federal judge blocked Trump’s order “to freeze trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans until they could be vetted to ensure they aligned with his plan to purge the government of what he calls a ‘woke’ ideology.
“Even before the order was to go into effect at 5 p.m., the order freezing the money disrupted a variety of systems and programs, leaving millions unsure if they would lose access to jobs, services and health care,” the New York Times reported.
U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, made a public statement Tuesday afternoon:
“The Trump administration has provided little guidance to the federal agencies tasked with carrying out this unlawful freeze, causing confusion and panic.
“The full list that agencies are directed to review encompasses over 2,600 assistance programs, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP), Women, Infants and Children (WIC), community health centers, the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), transportation and highway funding, energy assistance programs, water infrastructure funding, State Opioid Targeted Response grants, Gi Bill, veteran compensation for service connected disabilities, Section 8 vouchers, school breakfast and lunch, Title I education grants, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Head Start,” Shaheen said.
Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte issued a news release saying: “While I support a commonsense review of federal spending to ensure it is in the taxpayers’ best interest, we cannot allow interruptions to critical services for those who depend on them.
“My office has been in communication with the White House to ensure that our citizens are not negatively impacted by any unintended impacts and that critical services continue without interruption,” Ayotte said.
House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson sent a letter to Ayotte Tuesday saying she is “gravely alarmed by the Trump administration’s shocking and unprecedented decision late last night to halt federal funding for vital programs that New Hampshire families, small businesses, veterans, and communities depend on every day.”
The directive from the Trump administration deprives Granite Staters the funds that Congress has entitled them to, which thousands rely on, Simpson said.
The text of Trump’s order is here.
On Tuesday, the Associated Press also reported “the White House abruptly began offering buyouts to all federal employees who opt to leave their jobs by next week, according to a memo from the Office of Personnel Management, the government’s human resources agency.”
