Connecticut Sues to Block Illegal Conditions on Programs that Support Comprehensive Sexual Health Education

Press Releases 09/26/2025 Connecticut Sues to Block Illegal Conditions on Programs that Support Comprehensive Sexual Health Education (Hartford, CT) - Attorney General William Tong and a coalition of 16 states and the District Columbia today sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to stop the Trump Administration from arbitrarily pulling funding for longstanding teen reproductive and sexual health education programs from states unless they remove language regarding gender identity. The complaint, which seeks to halt HHS before they carry out further terminations, was filed in the federal District Court of Oregon. The Trump Administration's threat puts at risk more than $1.6 million in funding awarded to Connecticut through the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP). Connecticut has used PREP funding to support evidence-based educational programming that helps reduce teen pregnancy and the spread of sexually-transmitted infections. Historically, the PREP program has served an annual average of 800-1,200 at-risk youth in Connecticut. "When Trump says 'medically accurate,' we all know what he really means is 'MAGA-approved.' Censorship and political propaganda will not protect teens from unplanned pregnancy or preventable disease. Teens deserve accurate, honest information to stay safe, and we're suing to make sure they get it," said Attorney General Tong. HHS's actions violate the federal Administrative Procedure Act as well as the United States Constitution. Congress created the grant programs with clear statutory requirements that are at direct odds with the Trump Administration's baseless insistence that gender is absolute, fixed, and binary, and that any reference to transgender status or gender identity must be erased altogether. Forcing states to use medically unsupported, incomplete PREP program content violates laws adopted by Congress. The action is arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act. By unilaterally imposing these vague and nonsensical conditions, it also usurps Congress' spending power and violates the separation of powers. The states of Washington, Oregon and Minnesota are co-leading the litigation, joined by Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. Twitter: @AGWilliamTong Facebook: CT Attorney General Media Contact: Elizabeth Benton [email protected] Consumer Inquiries: 860-808-5318 [email protected] Twitter Facebook Email Print