Michigan joins multistate lawsuit against federal public health funding conditions
MPRN |
By
Colin Jackson
Published August 27, 2026 at 10:03 PM EDT
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Michigan has again sued the Trump administration over federal funding. The newest lawsuit is over grants delivered under Title X of the federal Public Health Service Act
The program offers grants to help provide reproductive healthcare for low-income Americans. It covers services like STI treatments, cervical and breast cancer exams, and some fertility care
This year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is trying to add new conditions to the funding. In its notice of funding opportunity, HHS said it expects recipients to end inclusion programs and support for gender affirming care, reduce treatments like hormonal birth control, and encourage patients to discuss marriage and having children
Those have been priorities of the Trump administration
Michigan is among 23 almost-entirely Democratic-led states challenging the requirements as arbitrary and an overreach of the agency’s authority
“While the federal government continues to disrupt the lives of everyday Michiganders, even at the expense of public health, I remain committed to fighting illegal conditions placed on critical funding to protect vital services across our state,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a press release Thursday
Nessel’s office has joined more than 60 legal actions against the federal government since President Donald Trump retook office last year, according to a tracker on her website
Republican critics have accused Nessel of using her office politically to stymie Trump’s priorities despite him winning the state in 2024. Nessel says her lawsuits have protected over $3.4 billion in federal money for Michigan that Trump had put at risk
HHS did not respond to a request for comment Thursday afternoon
