Luzerne County officials are actively working with federal agencies to “assess the implications and next steps” of a pause in federal grant funding, county Manager Romilda Crocamo told council Tuesday afternoon.
“Our team is committed to understanding how this pause will affect our services, funding streams, and overall operational planning,” Crocamo wrote. “We recognize the potential concerns this may raise for our stakeholders, and we are carefully reviewing alternatives, if necessary.”
Crocamo promised continued updates as the administration receives “more clarity and guidance from federal oversight authorities” and said she was not aware of any county services impacted by the pause to date.
According to the Associated Press, President Donald Trump ordered the pause starting Tuesday as part of his administration’s ideological review of spending.
Administration officials said the decision was necessary to ensure that all funding complies with Trump’s executive orders, which are intended to undo progressive steps on transgender rights, environmental justice and diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, efforts, the AP said.
The federal administration said that federal assistance to individuals would not be affected, including Social Security, Medicare, food stamps, student loans and scholarships.
However, the funding freeze could affect trillions of dollars, at least temporarily, and cause widespread disruption in health care research, education programs and other initiatives, the AP said. Even grants that have been awarded but not spent are supposed to be halted. State agencies and early education centers appeared to be struggling to access money from Medicaid and Head Start, it said.
Democrats and independent organizations described the pause as capricious and illegal because Congress had already authorized the money, the AP reported. Court battles were expected.
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