Attorney General Dan Rayfield prevailed in preserving funding for AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. The White House Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) agreed to release over $184 million in funding AmeriCorps plans to award to service programs across the country. OMB’s attempted cuts threatened the survival of those programs and the well-being of those who depend on them.
On July 23, Attorney General Rayfield and a coalition filed an amended lawsuit challenging OMB’s attempt to gut AmeriCorps programs. Yesterday, when their response defending these actions was due in Court, OMB and AmeriCorps instead agreed to fully release the previously withheld funds.
“This is a huge victory for Oregonians,” said Attorney General Rayfield. “This money supports programs that strengthen our communities, serve students and seniors, and empower the next generation of leaders in our state. To date, we have protected over $4 billion in federal dollars that Oregonians are relying on – and we will continue to fight every day to make sure Oregon communities receive the funds Congress has allocated.”
On April 29, Attorney General Rayfield and the coalition challenged » the administration’s plans to eliminate nearly 90 percent of AmeriCorps’ workforce, abruptly cancel its contracts, and close $400 million worth of AmeriCorps-supported programs. In June, the Court granted a preliminary injunction » that reinstated hundreds of AmeriCorps programs that were unlawfully cancelled and barred AmeriCorps from making similar cuts without formal rulemaking. Despite the order, OMB continued to withhold over $184 million intended for outstanding service programs, including AmeriCorps Seniors programs, and many programs funded with highly competitive federal grants.
Because the Trump administration withheld these critical resources, the coalition filed an amended lawsuit » in July that added OMB as a defendant. On August 8, Attorney General Rayfield and the coalition filed a motion for a preliminary injunction, asking for an order to stop OMB from withholding the relevant funds. The Trump administration’s response was due yesterday, August 28. Rather than oppose the states’ motion, the administration instead informed the Court that OMB would release all withheld AmeriCorps funds, totaling over $184 million, which AmeriCorps will distribute to programs nationwide, as quickly as possible.
This relief means that service programs across the country will be protected from the administration’s devastating attempted cuts. AmeriCorps supports national and state community service programs by funding and placing volunteers in local and national organizations that address critical community needs. Organizations rely on support from AmeriCorps to recruit, place, and supervise AmeriCorps members nationwide.
In Oregon, AmeriCorps members serve every year in Oregon’s schools, libraries, health clinics, forests, shelters, and community centers. Last year, AmeriCorps invested almost $45 million in Oregon, supporting nearly 2,000 members and hundreds of community projects. The service work of AmeriCorps members touches nearly every part of life in Oregon: AmeriCorps members tutor kids, help veterans, support wildfire response, restore natural habitats, and stand alongside neighbors during times of crisis – all while building skills and job readiness.
Attorney General Rayfield was joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‛i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania in filing the lawsuit.
