Maryland leaders say attempt to freeze federal funding caused confusion and chaos
COLUMBIA -- One Howard County nonprofit and state elected leaders say the back and forth with federal funding has been confusing and chaotic.
After national backlash, the Trump administration rescinded a memo that ordered a freeze on federal funding -- impacting everything from grants to financial assistance programs.
It put all those programs in limbo, and even prompted another multi-state lawsuit.
Addressing the new memo, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday, "The executive orders issued by the president on funding reviews remain in full force and effect and will be rigorously implemented by all agencies and departments."
'Federal dollars touch nearly every program'
In September, Community Action Council of Howard County, or CAC, celebrated $2 million in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funding. The funding was specifically for CAC's weatherization program that helps fix up homes all across the Greater Baltimore region.
Tracy Broccolino, CAC's president, first heard about the freeze Tuesday morning. She immediately wondered how her organization would function.
"We provide housing, energy, food assistance, we operate Headstart, and we are the state's largest nonprofit weatherization provider," she said.
While the freeze has been rescinded, Broccolino said she still feels federal funding could be unreliable in the future.
So, CAC has been talking to its funders and elected leaders to secure as much support as they can.
"We as organizations have to plan. We have to be able to plan to serve our neighbors," Broccolino said. "This is not political. This has nothing to do with who voted for who, this is about meeting peoples' needs."
Broccolino said CAC will continue to put its communities first. But, she's concerned with how this new administration has been acting.
"In our own lives, we don't like unpredictability, why do that to entire communities? To the entire nation," she said.
The governor and other elected leaders react
At the Maryland Board of Public Works meeting Wednesday, Gov. Wes Moore addressed the initial federal funding freeze memo.
Gov. Moore described the Trump administration's actions as chaotic, but affirmed Maryland would continue to be first for his administration.
"We are going to answer that instability that's coming from Washington with clear and calm, steady leadership of our own," Gov. Moore said.
Members of Maryland's congressional delegation were in Annapolis Wednesday. In a brief news conference, they echoed Moore's sentiments.
"One of our founders said haste makes waste," said U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-MD 5th District. "In this case, haste has made fear, chaos, concern, apprehension in the minds of our citizens."
According to Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman, the state got more than $23 billion in federal funding during fiscal year 2023. Her office is working to get the final total for fiscal year 2024.