Gregory Sisk, professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, spoke with Bloomberg about the wave of lawsuits challenging federal funding cuts under President Donald Trump’s administration. As judges have halted or narrowed many of the administration’s spending restrictions, Sisk noted that while some claims over unpaid funds may be steered to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, disputes involving grant conditions and alleged constitutional violations remain viable in federal district courts, offering a path for challengers seeking relief.
From the article:
Disputes over grant conditions, how agencies vet funding applications and alleged constitutional violations appear to remain fair game, experts say. Judges are realizing “that’s the way to thread the needle,” said Gregory Sisk, a law professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law.
In one recent opinion ordering Education Department officials to reconsider at least $3 million in denied grants, a judge in Washington wrote that the claims fell within a “gray area” of the justices’ guidance so far.
The Justice Department appealed at least 61 district court losses in funding fights by mid-January, while the administration’s challengers appealed 10 rulings for the government.
