• On Jan. 29, one day after President Donald Trump moved to freeze funding for a range of federal programs, the president’s budget office rescinded the order, according to the Associated Press (AP). Trump’s move had prompted “widespread confusion and legal challenges across the country,” AP News reported. Locally, Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) issued a statement lambasting the president’s action, saying it was “not only cruel, it is also illegal.” The Central Coast received more than $1.4 billion in grants and other federal aid last year alone, Carbajal said in the statement. “Halting federal assistance—even temporarily—has the potential to harm every single Central Coast community,” the congressman said. The funds were approved on a bipartisan basis to help local programs, including Head Start and other education organizations, first responders and law enforcement, health clinics, infrastructure, housing assistance, and more, according to Carbajal’s office. AP News reported that Trump administration officials said on Jan. 28 that the pause was necessary to review whether spending aligned with Trump’s executive orders on issues like climate change and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. But the next day, officials sent out a two-sentence notice rescinding the original memo. “President Trump has retreated, for the time being, on his dangerous and illegal executive action that would have devastated the Central Coast,” Carbajal posted on Facebook in response. “While this fight is far from over, don’t lose sight of this: When we all stood together and called out extremist policy, we won.”
• On Jan. 31, U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-California) joined Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island) and all Democratic members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in demanding answers from newly confirmed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin about the agency’s freezing of congressionally appropriated funds, including those that have already been obligated. According to Politico’s EnergyWire reporting, the EPA sent letters to grant recipients explaining it was pausing all funding actions related to the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These funding cuts are already having “devastating effects” on communities, according to a statement from Padilla’s office, with reports of jobs in jeopardy and essential infrastructure projects on the chopping block. The senators noted that failing to allow grant recipients to access funds that have already been obligated violates federal law. “We write concerning troubling reports that the Environmental Protection Agency is attempting to claw back funds that have already been obligated to grant recipients. We believe that this is contrary to federal law,” the senators wrote. “Many of us have also been contacted by grantees in our states reporting that they no longer have access to the grant money that has been obligated to them.” The letter to the EPA administrator also notes federal law requires that obligated funds be provided to grantees. “We further note that the Solar for All program furthers several goals, all of which are part of EPA’s core mission, which you support. It is designed to help reduce carbon pollution, air pollutants, and household energy costs by financing community and rooftop solar in low-income communities. It will further help drive American manufacturing, boosting the economy and creating jobs.” The senators asked that Zeldin provide a valid legal justification for the funding freezes and explain when he plans restore the availability of the funds to grant recipients. In addition to Sens. Padilla, Schiff, and Whitehouse, the letter is also signed by Sens. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Maryland), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Delaware), Mark Kelly (D-Arizona), Edward J. Markey (D-Massachusetts), Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont).
This article appears in Feb 6-16, 2025.