Trump Admin “Claws Back” $31 Million of Federal Funds From RIDOH

Trump Admin “Claws Back” $31 Million of Federal Funds From RIDOH

The Trump administration has “clawed back” $31 million of federal funds from the Rhode Island Department of Health.

 

Joseph Wendelken, a spokesperson for RIDOH, said in an email to GoLocal, "We were notified by CDC that four grants we had received to support our capacity in various areas of the Department post-COVID-19 have been terminated. While the work funded by these grants goes beyond responding to COVID-19, CDC’s cause for terminating these grants was the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

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“We are working very closely with the Governor’s Office and the Rhode Island Attorney General to explore all options to safeguard the funding that supports the critical work done by the Department of Health,” he added.

 

He added,” These grants partially support vaccination work, some of our epidemiology and laboratory capacity work, work to address health disparities, and community health workers. The construction of the new State Health Laboratory is not affected."

 

This is the latest hit to the Rhode Island budget, as the Trump administration is withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in transportation funds.

 

RIDOH learned of the federal action on Tuesday.