The Trump administration has frozen child care funding across America
Preside Donald Trump’s administration has frozen federal child care paymes to all states, citing the need to ensure the funds are being used legally, a governme official announced Thursday.
According to the US Departme of Health and Human Services, paymes will be released only after states demonstrate that federal child care funds are being spe for legitimate purposes.
Andrew Nixon, a spokesman for the U.S. Departme of Health and Human Services, told ABC News that states are required to provide their own administrative data for review, and that states suspected of irregularities must provide additional evidence, including child attendance records, licensing information and inspection reports.
“It’s the responsibility of the states to make sure these funds — these federal dollars and taxpayer dollars — are used for legitimate purposes,” Nixon said.
This action was carried out following accusations about fraudule practices in some child care ceers in the state of Minnesota; The accusations came after an unverified video was posted on social media. The allegations first led to a freeze on paymes to the state of Minnesota, and then spread across the coury.
Since the start of Trump’s second term, governme officials and informal advisers have repeatedly cited unsubstaiated and often vague allegations of “fraud” or “corruption” to unilaterally cut funding for dozens of programs; Programs that the Republican Party usually opposes.
Subsequely, many—but not all—of these funds were reinstated after judicial challenges or after the programs were determined to be necessary.
Jim O’Neill, the deputy secretary of health and human services, previously announced on social media that the agency has frozen all child care paymes to the state of Minnesota and is tightening payme requiremes to preve misuse of taxpayer resources in dozens of programs.
Minnesota state officials have denied the allegations, saying the facilities referenced in the video have been inspected and operate in accordance with state regulations.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walls criticized the decision, accusing the federal governme of politicizing the issue and undermining family support programs.
“This is Trump’s long-term game,” Walls said. We’ve spe years fighting fraudsters. This is a serious matter, but this has been his plan from the beginning. “He’s politicizing this issue to defund programs that help Minnesotans.”
The Departme of Health and Human Services announced that the suspension of paymes will coinue uil states adopt the new standards.
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